Triplets in Love
by Raven in Red
Summary: Three triplet sisters start out by settling into a new life in Port Royal, but they soon get tangled up with kidnapping, piracy, betrayal, and bloodshed, with love and romance on the side. Different summaries inside. Rated T for language and violence.
1. Possibility

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter One**: Possibility

Jasmine, Lily, and Holly were not normal sisters. Even as triplets, they were as different as three girls could be.

Jasmine, the youngest, was a free spirit. She wanted adventure and choices in her life. She was bold and independent, always doing things her way, but she had a tendency to be pessimistic.

Lily, the middle sister, was cautious and delicate. She was perfectly content to embrace society norms and follow the rules. She didn't even trust herself to find a good husband, so her parents had agreed arrange a marriage for her.

Holly, the oldest, was a dreamer. She was calm and collected and together on the outside, but romantic and daydreaming on the inside. Her goal in life was to find the perfect husband.

While they may have all been different, they were as close as three sisters could be…

…Until they all fell in love.

* * *

"Slow down! You're going too fast!" Holly panted and chased after Jasmine, her long red hair blowing in the breeze. Jasmine had stolen her parasol, and the summer sun was hot.

"Come and get it!" Jasmine taunted, waving the white lace parasol over her head. Her short, choppy brown hair left her neck exposed, allowing it to be burned pink. The fact that the girls had been on a ship for two weeks already meant that they were utterly at the mercy of the sun, and so far there had not been a single cloudy day.

Holly sighed and held up her hands in surrender. She went to sit on a bench beside Lily, whose long blond curls were perfectly pinned away from her face. "Not getting sunburned, are you, Lil?"

Lily smiled, taking a moment to look up from the dress she was mending. "I'll get out of the sun soon. I'd hate for my skin to turn pink like Jasmine's." Both girls burst out laughing.

"It seems like an eternity since we left England," Jasmine approached the girls, sat down, and handed the parasol back to Holly. "And we've only been out at sea for two weeks." The girls' father had decided to move to Port Royal right after his daughters turned eighteen.

"I wonder what our new home will be like," Lily wondered, keeping her eyes fixed on her tiny stitches.

"Me, too," Holly added, her voice seeming to trail off. Jasmine followed her dreamy gaze and fixed her eyes upon Lieutenant Norrington. She elbowed her sister.

"Ow!" Holly whined.

"Not daydreaming about him _again_, are you, Holly?" Jasmine teased.

Holly playfully shoved Jasmine. "Hey, I can't help it. He's _so_ handsome!" She blushed like mad when Norrington gave her a handsome smile. The two had talked a few times before, but nothing beyond casual conversations.

"I think he likes you," Jasmine whispered slyly.

"Come on, Jasmine, he hardly notices me," Holly said sadly. As if on cue, Norrington smiled towards her again, which caused her to blush.

"I beg to differ," Jasmine winked. "Go talk to him."

"What?" Holly gasped in shock.

"If you like him so much, then you should go talk to him," Jasmine pressed on.

"Jasmine is right," Lily finished her sewing and looked up. "Anyone can see that he's interested in you. You've got to give him a chance."

"Alright," Holly sounded unsure of herself. She cautiously stood up. "How do I look?" She asked nervously. Jasmine quickly adjusted Holly's dress and pinched her cheeks to bring a little color to her face.

"You look _lovely_," Jasmine smiled. "Now, go sweep him off his feet." She gently turned Holly around and nudged her towards the Lieutenant. Then she went to sit beside Lily again. "How much do you want to bet that those two will end up courting?"

Lily laughed a little. "It definitely sounds like Holly. She always gets what she wants."

* * *

Holly cleared her throat as she approached Lieutenant Norrington. He turned around and gave her a bright smile. "Miss Gardener," he bowed at the waist. "It's a pleasure to see you." Holly giggled and blushed as he placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. She loved how polite and proper he was.

"And you, Lieutenant Norrington, sir," Holly replied with a bold smile. _Don't be nervous_, she told herself.

"So I've heard that you and your family are going to live in Port Royal?" Norrington said in order to start a conversation. He gently took Holly's arm, and the two began to stroll around the deck of the ship.

"Yes," Holly replied. "My father decided that we would move once my sisters and I turned eighteen."

"Port Royal is a lovely town," Norrington smiled. "It is built right around Fort Charles, and it has excellent defenses."

"I've heard many good things about it," said Holly.

"You have…two sisters, correct?" Norrington asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"Yes," Holly grinned. "Jasmine and Lily. We're triplets."

"That's not very common," Norrington sounded genuinely interested. "Are you three close?"

"We're _very_ close," said Holly. "As close as best friends."

Holly and Norrington talked for several more minutes. Holly felt like she was getting to know him pretty well. They talked about their lives in England and about their families and friends. Norrington even told Holly that he was interested in her.

Unfortunately, Norrington's attention was called by another crew member who needed his help.

"I apologize, Miss Gardener, but I must be going," he said with regret. He bent down to kiss Holly's hand. "I hope to have the opportunity to talk with you again."

"Good day, sir," Holly said in farewell before she curtsied and went back to the bench to sit with Jasmine.

"So…?" Jasmine teased.

"Oh, stop," Holly blushed.

"How did it go?" Jasmine pressed on.

"It actually went very well," Holly sat upright and folded her hands in her lap, speaking in a perfectly proper tone, which caused both the girls to erupt into fits of laughter.

"Looks like _someone_ has a new fiancé just over the horizon," said Jasmine, crossing her hands over her heart.

"You know? I just might," replied Holly.

* * *

After Lily had stored the mended dress in her cabin, she leaned on the railing and looked out at the other ship. Besides the _Red Dawn_, the ship she and her family were sailing on, there was the _Siren Song_. The _Red Dawn_ was ferrying people over from England to Port Royal. The _Siren Song_ was sailing alongside it to offer protection. It was a strong, heavy war ship.

As Lily gazed upon the _Siren Song_, her eyes fell on Lord Cutler Beckett. He was a representative of the East India Trading Company, and he was a man who carried a lot of power. From what she had heard from her father, she would soon be promised to him in marriage. Lily was a little scared of the thought of being married, but she had heard that Cutler Beckett was a dependable man. Although she had never officially met him or talked to him, she knew that she liked him. He was handsome, but not wildly handsome, which would have made Lily nervous. He seemed very intelligent and resourceful, but also calm and together.

"Ah, Lily!"

Lily turned around to greet her father, who was coming up the stairs from the lower decks. He kissed both of her cheeks with a big smile on his face.

"Good morning, Father," Lily said politely. "You seem quite happy."

"I am indeed, darling," Lionel beamed at his middle daughter. "I just met with Lord Beckett this morning."

"Any news?" Lily said in anticipation.

"Only the best!" Lionel said joyfully. "You two will be wed within a month of our arrival in Port Royal!"

"That's excellent!" Lily said with a smile, although deep down she was scared. "But…I've never talked with him before."

"We'll take care of that soon enough. I'll schedule a meeting for you two as soon as I can," Lionel reassured his daughter.

"Could I possibly see him tonight after dinner?" Lily suggested, wanting to learn more about her soon-to-be husband.

"I don't see why not," Lionel nodded. "I'll make the arrangements."

"Thank you, Father," said Lily. She was nervous, excited, and happy all at the same time. She would soon be married, and she would be able to have a family and a comfortable life. She had always dreaded going to parties or social gatherings as a young teenager, because it meant about a dozen young men all trying to get her attention at once. Now, at least she would have only one person to focus her time and energy on.

* * *

Early that evening, the sisters all gathered in their cabin.

"I have the most exciting news!" Lily giggled with excitement.

"Oh, do tell!" Jasmine squealed. She clapped her hands and grinned widely.

"Father has promised me to Lord Beckett!" Lily concluded.

"Oh, that's simply _wonderful_!" Holly leaned over to give Lily a hug. "When will the wedding be?"

"Father says that we'll be married within a month of our arrival," replied Lily.

"We'll make it the finest wedding in all of Port Royal!" Jasmine declared happily. "Now, Holly, tell us how it went with Lieutenant Norrington."

"I already told you," said Holly. After an impatient glare from Jasmine, she continued, "We talked for a little while today. That's all."

"What did you talk about?" asked Lily.

"Mostly just England and our families," Holly shrugged. "Nothing special."

"I think you need to spice it up a little, sweetheart," Jasmine sighed. "You'll never get a proposal out of him if you don't show him you're interested."

"Oh, alright," Holly surrendered. "I hope he and I can talk again tomorrow."

"We'll make sure of it," Jasmine winked.

**Author's Note**: So, Lily has been promised in marriage to Lord Beckett, and Holly and Norrington are becoming close. But what about Jasmine? Just be patient. She'll find her true love soon enough.


	2. Engagements and Courtships

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Two**: Engagements and Courtships

After dinner that night, Lily was ushered over to the _Siren Song_, where she would be meeting with Lord Beckett. Her father led her into his private office. Lily smiled when she saw Beckett sitting at his desk, deep in thought.

"Ah, Miss Gardener," Beckett looked up from the charts he was studying. He stood up and crossed the room. Lily admired how well-dressed he was, in his maroon frock coat and black breeches. He and Lionel bowed to each other before Lionel left. Then Beckett turned his attention to Lily.

"It's a pleasure to have you here tonight," he said politely as he gently kissed her hand. Lily felt a tingle shoot through her whole body.

"It's a pleasure to _be_ here, Lord Beckett," she replied, suddenly shy.

"I'm sure you've heard about our arrangement," said Beckett. "I've lately been talking it over with your father."

"Yes, sir," said Lily. "He says we're to be wed within a month of our arrival."

"A fine arrangement, if I do say so myself," Beckett said as he looked into Lily's eyes. "Your father has told me all about you."

"He has told me much about you as well, sir," said Lily. "I believe you will make a fine husband."

"And you will make a fine wife, Miss Gardener."

"Please, sir, we're engaged. Call me Lily."

"As you wish," said Beckett, "But only if you would call me Cutler."

Lily gave her new fiancé a beautiful smile. She felt even more nervous. "Um…" She didn't know what to say.

"Lost for words, my dear?" Beckett smiled.

"Yes," Lily admitted. She could feel her fair skin turning pink.

"I can understand your nerves, Lily. We've just met, and we're already engaged. It would seem quite stressful," Beckett said reassuringly.

"I actually wanted it to be like this. I wanted my father to arrange a marriage for me. I've always been too shy and cautious to pick a husband of my own," Lily sighed. "But I think he made a good choice for me, if I do say so myself."

"I would have to agree with you there," Beckett said as he gently clasped Lily's hand. "Oh, I have something for you." He let go of her hand in order to reach into a drawer in his desk and pull out a small box. "Just a small gift, to mark our engagement." He opened the box and revealed a thin gold chain with a perfectly cut ruby dangling from it.

"It's lovely," Lily said warmly. She sighed happily as Beckett gently clipped it around her neck. She loved the warm feeling of his hands as they lightly brushed over her delicate skin. She almost felt sad when he pulled them away.

"You're a lovely young woman," he whispered in her ear before stepping back. "I feel honored to be marrying you."

"If I'd had the choice, I probably would have chosen you to be my husband anyway," Lily said with a delicate smile. "You're a fine man, Cutler."

"And you are a fine woman, Lily," Beckett replied. The two began to lean in a little. Lily took quick, tiny breaths. Just before their lips touched, there was a sharp knock at the door. Beckett and Lily quickly stepped away from each other with Lily blushing a little.

"Lily, it's time to go," Lionel said as he stepped into the office.

"Alright, Father," Lily nodded. She turned and curtsied to Beckett. "I hope to be seeing you again, sir. Good night."

"Good night, Miss Gardener," Beckett said with regret. He and Lily exchanged a sad look as she departed.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the _Red Dawn_, Holly was leaning on the railing. She sighed happily as the warm evening breeze blew gently over her skin. The sun had already set, but the stars were not yet out. The sky was a beautiful indigo blue, and it calmed Holly's nerves. She couldn't keep James Norrington off her mind.

"Aren't you lonely out here, Miss Gardener?" Norrington asked quietly as he approached Holly and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

Holly smiled, blushed, and replied, "Yes…well, I was until you came along."

Norrington laughed a little bit. "How are you this evening?"

"I'm just thinking, is all," Holly replied with a sigh.

"Thinking about me?" Norrington gave her a handsome smile. Holly's heart practically melted.

"Yes…you're just…making me so speechless!" laughed Holly.

"Um…Miss Gardener…Holly…would it be too forward of me to ask for your hand in courtship?" Norrington asked lovingly.

Holly's heart raced. She loved the closeness she had with Norrington. She loved the feeling of his hand on her shoulder. She wanted so badly to kiss him right then and there, but she didn't want to rush. "James, I would be honored."

"Excellent!" James said in excitement. He took his arm off of Holly's shoulder and clasped her hand. He then leaned over and placed the tiniest of kisses on her forehead. Holly suddenly couldn't speak. She was so immensely excited about her new courtship that she could barely breathe. "Miss Gardener?" Norrington gently placed his hand over hers.

"Yes?" Holly managed to whisper.

"Are you alright?" Norrington asked with concern.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you…just excited." There was enough light left for Norrington to see the wink and the smirk that she flashed to him.

"So am I," said Norrington, with a happy smile.

* * *

As Jasmine paced the deck of the _Red Dawn_, she noticed Lieutenant Norrington and Holly, holding hands and looking happy. Then she overheard Lily say to Lionel, "Lord Beckett is such a charming man!" Jasmine was suddenly overcome by jealousy. _It's not fair!_ She thought to herself. _Both Lily _and _Holly are with the men of their dreams. What about me?_ Jasmine had never even been paid any attention by the other men she had liked. Lily and Holly had both been courted when they were fourteen. Even though the relationships didn't end in marriage, as was expected, Jasmine was still jealous. She had liked many other men, but none of them had liked her back. _What's wrong with me?_

Jasmine groaned as she watched Holly and Norrington hug each other before retiring for the evening. On the one hand, she was happy for her sister. On the other, she was overwhelmed with jealousy. It really wasn't fair.

A single tear dripped from Jasmine's eye and splashed onto the railing. Her whole body began to tremble as she fought back the urge to openly sob. When would she find her perfect man?

When would someone fall in love with her?

* * *

**Author's Note**: Congrats to Lily for landing the engagement and congrats to Holly for hitting it off with Norrington! But what about poor Jasmine? Well, we'll just have to wait and see…


	3. Turn of Events

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Three**: Turn of Events

Jasmine, Lily, and Holly all breathed a collective sigh of relief when Port Royal was in sight. They had been cooped up on board either of the two ships for almost four months. Lily had failed to develop her sea legs, so she had been wobbling around a lot. Neither Holly nor Jasmine had gotten over their seasickness. They never wanted to be on another ship as long as they lived.

"Welcome to Port Royal!" The harbormaster called out as the ship pulled in and the crew secured it to the dock. The girls were the first ones to cross the gangplank.

"Success!" Jasmine exclaimed as she jumped down onto the dock. Her high heeled boots made a heavy _thud_ as she landed. Lily and Holly followed closely behind her, laughing. Lily and Beckett were linking arms, as were Holly and Norrington. "We've finally made it!" said Jasmine, relieved.

"Yes we have, my dear!" Lionel approached his daughters with a proud stride and a big smile. He seemed just as excited as they were. He took a few minutes to direct the crewmembers that were unloading everyone's luggage before he turned his attention back to the girls. "We'll be settled into our new home by this evening." He then singled out Lily and Beckett, ushering them aside. "The three of us will be meeting quite often to plan the wedding."

"Of course, Father," said Lily. She smiled and gave her fiancé's arm a gentle squeeze. Beckett did the same.

"It would be my pleasure, sir," said Beckett with a slight bow of his head. "Your daughter has definitely shown me true happiness. I truly cannot wait for our wedding."

"If you could excuse us now, Father," Lily said politely, wanting to make a good impression on Beckett. Normally, she was quite casual with her father.

Lionel got the hint. Winking, he replied, "Of course, Lily." Lily curtsied to him before leading Beckett away.

"Father?" Holly called out as she approached her father.

"Yes, darling?" Lionel replied as he leaned over to kiss his daughter on the cheek.

Holly moved closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I'm worried about Jasmine."

"Oh?" Lionel sounded curious. "And why would that be?"

"I'm afraid that she's become quite jealous of Lily and me," said Holly. When Lionel nodded, she continued, "Lily is engaged, and I might very well be in the same position quite soon."

"You're quite right to worry about her," Lionel said sadly. "I've been noticing her looking quite depressed lately. She doesn't seem to be herself."

"Is there anything we can do for her?" Holly asked, still worried.

Lionel sighed. "There's not much we _can_ do. She's such an independent girl. Well, now that we're in Port Royal, she'll have the chance to meet some new men. Hopefully, she'll find someone she's happy with."

"I'll pray for it," Holly said as she hugged her father. Then she walked off to rejoin Norrington.

* * *

The next morning, the couples went out for a walk along the beach. Jasmine was left alone at the house. She was alone in the sitting room, with no company except for her troubled mind.

"Why didn't you go out with your sisters?" Lionel asked as he entered the room and noticed Jasmine sprawled across the couch, looking sad.

"Because they're both with their men, and I didn't want to be out of place," Jasmine replied in a monotone. She had been thoroughly depressed ever since she found out about her sisters' love lives. When she was around them, Jasmine did her best to be cheerful and supportive, but she was an utter wreck when she was by herself.

"Tell me what's wrong," Lionel said soothingly as he pulled a chair next to the couch and sat down. Jasmine was emotionally closer to her father than Lily or Holly was, and she always had been.

"I just wish I could find a husband!" Jasmine groaned. "Can't you find someone for me, like you did with Lily? She seems happy enough."

"Sweetheart," Lionel sighed. "You're such an independent girl. You're strong enough to make your own choices. Lily is not. Ever since your mother died when you girls were twelve, she hasn't been herself. She became so much more cautious and shy. She was scared to make her own decisions or take chances. She even had trouble refusing things. So, she took me aside when she was seventeen and entrusted me with the power to choose a husband for her. It took so long because I wanted to make sure that I was finding the perfect man for her. Lord Beckett is a good man. He is decisive but thoughtful. He will provide for her. You're different, Jasmine. Choosing your husband would make me feel as if I was taking away your independence. I don't want to do that." He reached out and patted Jasmine's shoulder. "I want you to be my lovely, independent Jasmine forever. I want _you_ to choose how you live your life."

Jasmine smiled a little bit at her father's reassuring words. "What about Holly?"

Smiling, Lionel answered, "You and Lily are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Lily is timid and cautious. You are bold and independent. Holly is like a tangle of threads keeping you two close. She is sure of herself and very encouraging. She is also very romantic, seeing the true beauty in everything. Despite your differences, I've never seen three sisters as close as my daughters are."

Jasmine laughed a little bit to herself. "I love Holly and Lily. I just _really_ want a man that I can share my life with."

"It will take some time, Jasmine," warned Lionel. "I don't want you to find a man just so you can be like your sisters. I want you to be happy with whom you choose, but I want that happiness to last forever. I want you to be confident but careful."

Jasmine nodded. "Thank you, Father."

"That's my good girl," Lionel squeezed his daughter's hand before standing up and leaving the room. Jasmine sighed to herself. She loved her father's advice. It always reassured and comforted her. The two of them could talk about almost anything. Jasmine had never been very close with her mother, like Lily had been. Losing her mother had probably made Lily the way she was now. Jasmine felt a stabbing sympathy for her sister. At the same time, she felt a renewed confidence in herself. She would find a husband, but she would take her time in doing so. She would find true love.

* * *

That night, the two couples were on board the _Dauntless_, a great war ship docked in Port Royal harbor. The girls had heard of it before and had requested a tour. The moon shone brightly overhead, giving a romantic glow.

"It's so beautiful," Lily sighed a dreamy sigh while gazing at the night sky.

"It certainly is, though not as beautiful as you," Beckett wrapped an arm around his fiancé and held her close. Lily blushed. Every time he gave her a compliment, she never knew what to say in return. She couldn't believe how perfect he was for her.

"How much longer until our wedding?" Lily finally managed to ask. Although she already knew the answer, due to the fact that she was counting the days, she never quite believed it until she heard it from her future husband's lips.

"Just two more short weeks," Beckett smiled. "I understand; I can hardly wait myself."

* * *

While Lily and Beckett strolled in the moonlight, Holly and Norrington stood by the railing. Holly was buzzing with anticipation. Norrington had not yet proposed to her yet, but she could feel in her heart that it was just over the horizon. She giggled a little when she observed Beckett pulling Lily in for a kiss.

"That's so romantic!" Holly sighed happily, bursting with pride for her sister. She squeezed her love's hand.

"I agree, although that is a joy we have not yet partaken in," Norrington observed. He placed a delicate hand beneath Holly's chin, pulling her in a little. In an instant, Holly became shy. Her breathing grew heavy, and she had to step back. She had not yet kissed her soon-to-be fiancé, that was true, but she did want to hold off on that until their wedding, if that day would ever come.

"I'm sorry, James," Holly whispered in embarrassment. "I _do_ love you. I promise."

"Then it is quite alright, my dear," Norrington smiled. "I understand." He then pulled her in, this time just for a small hug. Holly was comfortable again.

Just as the two were stepping back, there was a loud booming sound, and then the sound of splintering wood. Holly turned to see the mainmast of the ship break and fall across the deck and into the ocean. She let out a scream of true fright.

"Holly!" Lily screamed, running across the deck into her sister's arms. "Holly, what's happening?"

"Pirates!" Norrington shouted. He then ran below deck to rouse the crew.

"Lily!" Beckett grabbed her hand and drew her away from Holly. "Lily, I need you to get home where you will be safe!"

"I…" Lily stuttered. "I can't leave you!"

"But, Lily…" Beckett pleaded.

"Cutler, when pirates are attacking, _no one_ is safe!" Lily continued, with tears streaming from her eyes. "Let me stay with you!"

"Alright! Come with me!" Beckett took her hand and pulled her down to the stairs that went below deck. "Stay here," he commanded. "Stay on the stairs. You'll be safer there!" Just before he left, Lily pulled him in for a long, deep kiss. The two coiled their arms around each other, as if standing on the brink of death itself. It was several seconds before they could break away so that Beckett could go do his duty.

Lily crept to the top of the stairs, keeping her head low to avoid splinters caused by the cannons. She caught a glimpse of Holly running across the dock and taking the reins of a horse.

* * *

"Now, you go home, get under a desk or a bed or _something_, and you stay safe!" Norrington commanded franticly.

"I love you," Holly couldn't get the sounds to come out through her shaking sobs. After a quick but loving embrace, Norrington turned away and started to make his way back to the ship. "James!" Holly finally managed to call out. As soon as he was within reach, she forgot her hesitance and kissed him long and hard.

"I love you, too," Norrington said when they pulled apart.

* * *

**Author's Note**: You might be wondering why Jasmine wasn't included in this little pirate incident…


	4. Pirates to Pirates

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Four**: Pirates to Pirates

Jasmine woke up in an unfamiliar place. She was in a small room, with just a bed and a small trunk. The floor was rocking. _I'm on a ship_, she realized within a few moments. She started getting out of the bed, but she was suddenly overpowered by a dizzying headache. Jasmine felt around her scalp and found a large, throbbing bump. She must have been knocked unconscious, because the last thing she remembered was hearing the pirates breaking into the house while she was at home with her father.

_Where am I?_, she wondered.

All of a sudden, she felt a sound at the door. It sounded like a key turning inside the lock. _Great,_ thought Jasmine. _I was locked in as well_.

The door opened. Across the threshold, Jasmine could see a tall man, probably the captain of the ship. He had long, scraggly brown hair, a large floppy hat with a feather, and long dirty fingernails. He swept into a deep and elaborate bow.

"Ah, good, you've awoken," he said with a smile. His grin clearly showed the wrinkles on his face. Jasmine had a look of disgust on her face.

"Where am I?" she asked, trying to sound calm and authoritative.

"I'll explain everything in a minute," said the pirate. "Come with me." He held out his hand.

"You're…the captain?" Jasmine asked as she crossed the room.

"Captain Barbossa," he grinned, showing off his brown, rotting teeth. His entire appearance utterly disgusted Jasmine.

As they got out onto the main deck, Jasmine saw the rest of the crew all assembled in a large circle. In the middle stood another pirate. Jasmine was confused. Before she could speak, Barbossa cut in, "I need your assistance with a little…_business_ deal, shall we say." He beckoned forth two pirates, who immediately tied her wrists together with a rough length of rope. Jasmine pulled and tugged at her bonds, which were making her wrists itch and burn. She was shoved forward to the inner ring of the circle. She locked eyes with the pirate in the center.

He was handsome, unlike Barbossa, and interestingly dressed. His long brown hair was in a series of braids and dreadlocks. A red bandana held them away from his face. Various beads and small trinkets adorned his hair. His clothing was simple, but his gold teeth accentuated his handsome smile. Jasmine couldn't help but smile at him. He returned the favor eagerly.

"Jack Sparrow," Barbossa stepped into the circle. "We meet again."

"So we do, _Captain _Barbossa," Jack said calmly, with a devious smirk.

"It just so happens that I've come in possession of this _fine_ young lady," said Barbossa, gesturing towards Jasmine. The entire crew began to hoot and holler. Jasmine suddenly felt vulnerable in a cleavage-bearing green dress that she wore. On top of her discomfort, she was being referred to as a possession, as if that horrid pirate captain owned her, and she was his personal slave.

"I've noticed," Jack flashed another smile in Jasmine's direction.

"I've a proposition for ye, Jack," Barbossa smirked, drawing out his words.

"And what would that be?" asked Jack.

"I'll let ye go free, and turn this young lady over to ye…" Barbossa paused to smirk at Jasmine. "If ye beat me in a duel."

It was just then that Jasmine noticed the large black ship anchored next to Barbossa's. She saw Jack approaching her. He knelt in front of her, gazing up into her eyes.

"You will be free, milady," he said almost lovingly as he kissed her folded hands. He caressed her face gently before he stood back up to face Barbossa. Jasmine felt a warm feeling of protection rush throughout her body. She would have touched Jack's face as well, but her hands were bound. As Jack drew his sword and faced Barbossa, the circle widened. Jasmine was suddenly fearful. What if Jack lost? Then she'd be a prisoner of Captain Barbossa forever.

Jasmine watched carefully as Jack and Barbossa bowed to each other. With silent lips, she prayed for Jack's victory and her freedom. Her knuckles turned white from the tightness of her praying hands. The two pirate captains began to fight. With every clang of the swords, she felt a stab of fear in her heart. She didn't want Jack to die.

As Jack and Barbossa parried around the circle, she took a look at Jack's left hand. He was raising it above his head and making wild hand gestures. It was probably just to distract Barbossa. Then she noticed the pirates on the other ship. They were carefully watching Jack's movements and bustling about as if following orders. Jasmine realized everything in an instant. Jack was giving orders to his crew. She breathed a sigh of relief. Jack knew was he was doing.

The duel seemed to go nowhere. Jack and Barbossa were near equals. Then, Jack got close enough to give Barbossa a hard punch to the head, which knocked him unconscious. Once Barbossa hit the deck, he shouted, "Fire!"

Jasmine winced as the cannons began to fire from the other ship. Barbossa's pirates began running around the ship. Some went to the gun decks to return fire. Others didn't seem to know what to do without their captain to give them orders. Jack took the opportunity to approach Jasmine. "Time to go, love," he said. He then cut the bonds on Jasmine's wrists and led her to the railing. Grabbing a rope, he turned to the pirates and shouted, "This is the day you will always remember as the day that you _almost_ caught…Captain Jack Sparrow!" When he finished speaking, Jasmine flung her arms around his neck and shoulders. Jack held onto the rope with one hand and had the other around her waist. Skillfully, he swung across to the deck of his own ship. After a loud and slightly painful landing, he pulled her into his cabin.

"Thank you so much!" Jasmine gasped gratefully, hardly able to contain her happiness.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt at all?" Jack asked, concerned, as he examined her wrists. He frowned at the raw, red areas where the ropes had been tied. He stroked them ever so gently.

"I'm fine, Captain Sparrow," Jasmine reassured him.

"Good girl," Jack smiled. "Well, I intend on setting you free and bringing you home."

"Of course," replied Jasmine. She then felt a stab of sadness in her heart. This man had saved her life, and now he was going to leave her. "Thank you," she managed in a whisper.

"You look sad," Jack observed. "Why would that be?"

"Well…" Jasmine tried to find the right words. She was a little bit confused. "I don't exactly want to go home."

"And why would that be?" Jack asked patiently as he took a seat at his desk.

Feeling vulnerable, Jasmine answered, "One of my sisters is engaged to Cutler Beckett and the other is in courtship with James Norrington."

"Ah, there's your problem," Jack scoffed. "The two most arrogant men in all of Port Royal."

"I wouldn't go _that_ far, Captain Sparrow," Jasmine sat down in a chair across from him. "I've met them both, and they seem to be tolerable men. My sisters love them a lot, but it's hard to be around them when I myself don't have someone."

"So, you're the sister that wanted adventure instead of a quiet, proper lady's life," Jack concluded after a moment of consideration.

"How did you get there so fast?" Jasmine raised an eyebrow.

"You'd rather stay on a ship with a pirate you barely know rather than go home where your two sisters are swooning over their fiancé," replied Jack. Jasmine didn't bother to correct him by saying that Holly and Norrington were not yet engaged because they would be soon. It didn't take a genius to see that. "So," Jack continued, "If you're _really_ intent on staying here, and I'm not going to argue under the circumstances, then you may."

"Just until my sisters are married," Jasmine smiled. "But I'm willing to bet that the entire Royal Navy will be out looking for me. I'm not exactly nobility, but I'm the soon-to-be sister-in-law to both Lieutenant Norrington _and_ Lord Beckett. They won't just let that go."

After a pause, Jack changed the subject. "How long were you Barbossa's captive?" he asked.

"Not even a day, I'm guessing," replied Jasmine. "I don't remember being captured, and I just woke up on his ship. He brought me out on deck for the duel, and then I ended up here."

"Interesting," Jack nodded a little. "You're lucky it wasn't long. Otherwise, he probably would have raped you by now. Now I have another reason to hunt down the son of a bitch."

"Well, when _we_ do," Jasmine finished, "Can I be the one to slit his throat?"

"Of course," Jack winked.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Well, Jasmine seems to be safe…for now. As far as we know, the others aren't even aware she's gone…or are they?


	5. The Aftermath

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Five**: The Aftermath

_The night before…_

As soon as the cannonballs stopped flying and the commotion died down, Lily was able to sum up the courage to emerge from her hiding place. She spotted her fiancé in an instant. "Cutler!" she cried out. Once they had made eye contact, they ran into each other's arms. "Are you hurt?" Lily panicked when she pulled away. She didn't have to wait for an answer to be able to see the fresh bullet wound in his arm.

"It's nothing, Lily," Beckett attempted to reassure her, but he was cut off by a stab of pain.

"It's a _bullet_, for God's sake!" Lily practically shrieked. Beckett looked a little frightened. "Come on," Lily softened her voice. "We need to get that taken care of. Does this ship have a doctor?"

"He was killed during the battle," Beckett replied.

Lily sighed. Luckily, when she was a teenager in England, she had assisted her grandfather, who was a doctor, so she had witnessed the process required to treat bullet wounds. Without another word, she took Beckett's uninjured arm and led him below deck.

"Darling, I know you mean well, but I need a doctor to take care of this," Beckett complained.

"My grandfather was a doctor, and I used to assist him," Lily replied simply, hiding the pain his words had caused. "And I'm probably the best chance you have at the moment." Beckett said no more. Once they reached the ship's hospital cabin, Lily began to prepare herself.

"Now, I'm going to need a scalpel, a pair of forceps, some fresh bandages, water, and a disinfectant. I'll also need a needle and thread." The two of them got to work and eventually assembled all the supplies she would need. Lily also found a bottle of very strong liquor in a cabinet, so she poured Beckett a glass.

"Alright," she sighed, tying her hair back with a white headscarf and washing her hands. "Are you ready, sweetheart?" she whispered.

Beckett's eyes were filling with tears. He pulled her in for a short but passionate kiss before lying back on a cot and clamping his eyes shut.

The first thing Lily did was tie a tourniquet around his arm to slow the flow of blood. She then cleaned off the excess blood and picked out the smaller bullet fragments with the forceps. Then Lily took a deep breath.

"Lord, guide my hand," Lily whispered. With a forcefully steady hand, she took the scalpel and made a few small cuts inside the wound to loosen the bullet. She used a lump of gauze to catch the resulting flow of blood. Finally, she poked the forceps in between the cuts and took a secure hold on the bullet, which she then pulled out with ease.

"I'm almost done, love," Lily smiled. She gave him a quick kiss to calm his nerves. Just before she resumed her work, she slipped a large wad of gauze into his mouth for him to bite down on. Then, after a few deep breaths, she threaded the needle and got to work stitching up the wound. Beckett's cries of pain were almost impossible for her to bear. She had to force herself to keep from crying. She didn't need tears blurring her field of vision.

After what felt like an eternity, Lily tied a final knot in the thread and washed the wound once more with the disinfectant. Beckett breathed a sigh of relief. With a smile, Lily gently caressed his face. "It's all over now, sweetheart. It's all over." She sighed happily as he pulled her down next to him. Tears were gathered in his eyes, but his face bore a smile as well.

* * *

Early the next morning, before the sun had risen, Lily had given her fiancé an herbal remedy to make him sleep and was now strolling out on deck, sighing from time to time. She had quite possibly just saved her true love's life, and she was exhausted. Just as she was beginning to doze off, someone called her name.

"Lily!"

Lily looked up to see Holly sprinting up the gangplank towards her. She was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Holly!" Lily caught her sister and held her steady. "What's happened? What's wrong?"

"Oh, Lily, it's terrible!" Holly sobbed. "Jasmine's been kidnapped, and Father's been murdered!"

Lily had to step back. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Everything was happening so quickly. In a matter of hours, she and her sisters had become orphans and one of those sisters had been kidnapped by pirates. "No!" she finally choked out, collapsing to her knees. Jasmine couldn't be gone. She just couldn't be. Who knows? Maybe she was dead, too.

"No!" Lily let out a terrible shriek.

"Lily!"

She turned to see Beckett running up the stairs. Obviously the sleeping remedy hadn't worked too well. In an instant, he was at his fiancé's side, holding her to his chest despite his aching arm. "Darling, what's happened?" Lily couldn't answer due to her sobs. Holly seemed to be in the same situation, having run into Norrington's arms.

"Honey, you need to be resting!" Lily sobbed.

"Lily, I can't be simply lying in bed when something's obviously upsetting you!" Beckett held her even tighter. "What's happened?"

"My father…is dead," Lily had to take many deep breaths to be able to say those four words before she succumbed to her sobs again. "And Jasmine…has been…kidnapped," she added after several more deep breaths.

"Oh, dear Lord," Beckett choked.

"What am I supposed to do?" Lily had stopped crying and was now purely exhausted. Beckett took her tearstained face in his gentle hands.

"We'll get through this together," he said firmly. "We may not be married yet, but we will be as soon as possible. I love you, Lily, and I'm not going to let you suffer. I will do whatever it takes to find your sister." Lily was comforted by his promises. She sighed happily and fell into his arms. Laughing a little, Beckett swept her up off the cold ship's deck. "I'm bringing you home with me so you can get some rest. After you've had plenty of sleep, we can discuss everything."

After a fairly short journey, with Lily falling asleep along the way, they arrived at Beckett's mansion. She didn't wake up until he set her down gently on his bed. She lay back against the pillows, utterly dazed from the events of the day. Beckett noticed this and lay down next to her. "I know you're tired, darling. You've had a long and very trying day." After giving her a comforting kiss, he got back up and went to a clothes press, where he retrieved a nightgown.

"Cutler, might I ask why you keep women's clothing?" Lily couldn't help but smile.

"Your father has merely suggested that I make preparations," Beckett replied, handing the nightgown to her. "You can change into that. I'll be right back."

Lily was glad to be alone for a few minutes. The mention of her father brought a dull ache to her heart. His passing was so recent that she hadn't yet worn off the initial shock. When she had changed and Beckett had returned, changed as well, she bore a look of utter sorrow on her face. Beckett was quick to comfort her.

"Is there anything you want to say?" he asked gently, unsure of whether or not it was the _right_ thing to ask. Lily shook her head and dropped her head onto his shoulder. Her encircled her in his arms and kissed her cheek. "Do you want to go to sleep now?" Still without speaking, Lily nodded once. Beckett took that as his cue to lay down and wrap the covers around them, never letting her leave his embrace.

"Good night, my dear," he whispered.

"Good night," Lily whispered back. With her head on his chest and his steady heartbeat calming her, she quickly fell asleep.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So Lily's safe and sound with her true love. Maybe next chapter we can check up on Holly and Norrington, and maybe Jasmine and her new friend too. :)


	6. The Search

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Six**: The Search

The day after the battle went by stressfully for Holly and Lily. The first thing they did was begin making plans for their father's funeral. They were comforted by the fact that his death had been the result of a single gunshot to the chest, so it had been quick and nearly painless. Second, they had to hurry along the wedding plans. Lily and Beckett would be married quickly and privately so that they could go out to sea in search of Jasmine. Norrington had officially proposed to Holly, so they would join in the ceremony as well as the search.

One morning, the two couples gathered in Beckett's office, finalizing their plans for Jasmine's rescue.

"Do we have _any_ idea who might have captured her?" Lily sighed while gazing at a detailed map of the Caribbean.

"Unfortunately, no," Norrington sighed as well. "We managed to take a few prisoners, but they're not telling us anything."

"All we can do is hunt down every pirate vessel we come across and search each one until we find her," Beckett concluded. He then exchanged a knowing glance with Norrington.

"What?" Holly had noticed.

"We should track down Jack Sparrow," Norrington suggested.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"While it may not be all that common for him to kidnap young women," Beckett answered, "he _does_ have a tendency to rescue them from their kidnappers."

"So if Jasmine's with him, she'll be measurably safe," Holly said relief.

"She's better off with him than a rapist who's more than twice her age," Beckett's tone was dark. Both girls shuddered at the thought of their little sister being raped.

"If she's not with Jack Sparrow, we'll just have to start from the beginning," said Norrington. "You might not see home for quite some time."

"Now that our father's gone, it doesn't matter anymore," sighed Lily.

"All we care about now is finding our sister," Holly added while wrapping an arm around Lily's shoulders.

"We'll need devotion like that on a voyage like this," admired Norrington. "As long as we stay motivated, we'll find her soon enough." For the first time since their father's passing, the girls seemed happy.

* * *

Jasmine hadn't yet spent a whole day with Jack Sparrow, but the two were already growing closer.

"Captain Sparrow?" she called out, approaching him where he stood at the helm. Jack greeted her with a smile.

"I know I normally require people to address me by my proper title, but since you obviously have no issue with that, I think I can bend the rules and let you call me Jack," he winked.

"Why, thank you," Jasmine giggled a little. She couldn't even begin to explain how grateful she was to be with him. She was in a state of utter ecstasy.

"Anyway," Jack grinned. "Was there something you needed, or did you just need to be in my irresistible presence?"

Laughing, Jasmine said, "I've decided that you should teach me to handle a sword."

"Oh, really?" Jack stepped a little closer. "And why would a proper young lady such as yourself make such a request?"

"I'm going to ignore the fact that you called me a 'proper' young lady, but we're hunting down a pirate captain who probably intended to rape me. I want to be able to fight."

Jack reached over and touched her hand, which was aimlessly resting on the ship's wheel. "I like a bit of daring in a girl. Alright, I'll teach you how to fight with a sword."

"Excellent!" Jasmine grinned. "When can we begin?"

"We can begin right now if you would like," Jack smirked. He then took her arm and led her down the stairs to the open deck. All of a sudden, Jasmine stopped, having realized something. "What is it?" Jack noticed.

"My sisters must be so worried about me," Jasmine sighed. She forgot all about her sword training and went to lean on the railing.

"Do you think you've made the wrong choice?" Jack came up beside her, keeping a comfortable distance between them.

"Well, yes and no," Jasmine admitted truthfully. "It's true that I can't stand all the affection between my sisters and their fiancés when I haven't yet found a man of my own, but it seems selfish of me to just run off with a pirate and cause them so much pain."

"Your own knight in shining armor might be just around the corner," Jack sounded optimistic.

"Or he might be forever out of my reach," Jasmine sighed, gazing out at the ocean.

"If there's one thing I can't stand in a woman, it's when they get all pessimistic, thinking they'll never find love," Jack sighed. Jasmine was not hurt by Jack's words, though. In fact, she appreciated the authority in his voice. She had a tendency to get whiny and moody, and now Jack would be able to shake that habit from her.

"Wow…" she managed a bit of a smile.

"Everyone has the chance to find love, whether they believe it or not."

"Thanks, Jack," Jasmine gave him a genuine smile.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Port Royal, Lily and Holly were boarding the _Dauntless_. They were going to leave that afternoon to search for their sister. Norrington would be traveling on his own ship, the _Interceptor_, for a few weeks, but he would meet up with the _Dauntless_ later. Holly would be staying with Lily and Beckett.

Once the ship had pulled up its anchor and set off, Holly was instantly lonely. She leaned against the railing, listening aimlessly to the sounds of the lapping waves.

"Something on your mind?" Holly heard Lily's voice. She turned and greeted her sister with a sad smile.

"You miss James," Lily nodded knowingly. "I understand."

"What if the ship gets attacked and I'm not there to help him?" Holly's knuckles were turning white from how tightly she had folded her hands. A single tear dripped from her glassy eyes.

"It's okay, sweetie," Lily put a comforting arm around her and squeezed a little. "Hey, you've got me at least. You're not alone."

"I thought it was incredibly brave how you stitched up Cutler's arm," Holly admired after a pause. "I've always known you to be so shy and quiet and cautious. Now, you've taken charge of a delicate and dangerous situation, and you did it without slipping. I'm proud of you, Lil."

"Thanks," Lily smiled. After a sigh, she said, "I wonder how long it'll take to find Jasmine." Before she could complete her thought, she heard Beckett call her name. She gave a quick apology to Holly before approaching her fiancé. "Do you need something?" She was a little concerned.

"I need your company," Beckett replied, bestowing her with a delicate kiss. He then took her arm and led her below deck to his cabin.

"How's your arm?" Lily asked once the door was shut and the two of them were alone.

"Much better," Beckett smiled.

"Can I see it for a minute? Just to make sure it's healing," Lily gently took his arm and pushed the shirtsleeve up to his shoulder. The wound was healing well. A healthy scab had formed beneath the stitches, and there was absolutely no sign of infection. "I think after a few more days, we can remove the stitches," Lily smiled with satisfaction.

"Lily, come here," Beckett pulled his sleeve back down and took Lily into his arms. He then sat down on his bed and rested her on his lap.

"Is something on your mind?" Lily asked in a whisper.

"I just want to marry you so badly," Beckett whispered back. "I feel like I should be with you as often as possible."

"I know you do, sweetheart," Lily sighed. "I would marry you tonight if I could." Sighing again, she lay down on the fluffy feather mattress. Beckett soon lay down beside her. "There is one thing that makes me feel more comfortable about Jasmine's disappearance."

"And what's that?" Beckett took his fiancé's hand.

Lily pointed out the window. "See how pretty the moon looks right now?" The moon was a perfect crescent, and the sky was clear, giving it a perfectly shiny glow. When Beckett nodded, she continued, "Jasmine could very well be looking at the same moon right now."

"We're going to find her, Lily. I promise," Beckett reassured her. "As long as I love you, which will be forever, I will not stop searching for her."

"Thanks, sweetie," Lily sighed happily. "You know, there's another reason why I'm happy to be marrying you."

"And what's that?" Beckett asked, tucking Lily's head into the crook of his neck.

"My father arranged our marriage," said Lily. "Now I always have something to remember him by. You were his last gift to me, and the greatest I have ever received."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Looks like things are going well for Lily and Beckett, and the two couples have a pretty steady plan for finding Jasmine. But…does Jasmine really want to be rescued?


	7. Jasmine's Predicament

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Seven**: Jasmine's Predicament

Over the course of about a little over a week, Jasmine learned swordfighting skills from Jack. She was getting to the point where she could almost beat Jack. The fact that she was smaller, faster, and lighter definitely gave her an advantage. Ultimately, she and Jack became pretty close.

One afternoon, during one of their sparring matches, Jack was out of breath, so he called a truce. "I surrender, Miss Jasmine!"

"I'm afraid it's not that easy, Captain Sparrow!" Jasmine smirked. She then dropped her sword and poked Jack a few times in the stomach until he fell to his knees. "I win," she bragged before reaching down to help him up.

"I'm aware of that, you little rogue," Jack smirked as he got behind her and wound his arms around her waist.

"I know," Jasmine played along, "I just like to rub it in."

"You little sneak!" Jack suddenly began to tickle her. Jasmine squealed and squirmed until she managed to free herself from his grasp. She ran all over the deck, with him hot on her heels. Finally, he caught up to her at the bowsprit, but he decided to just hold her in his arms.

Jasmine stood there for a while, with her head resting on his chest. She peacefully soaked in the warm Caribbean sunshine while contemplating how perfect her situation was. She was safely away from the drama and gushy romance of her sisters' love lives while enjoying the adventure of her lifetime with a handsome pirate captain. It couldn't get any better than that.

"Uh-oh," Jack muttered. He pulled away from Jasmine and looked out over the bow. Then, he pulled out his spyglass and brought it to his eye. Jasmine spotted a ship in the distance.

"What's wrong?" she asked with concern. She got a sudden twinge in her heart. What if it was one of the rescue ships?

"See for yourself," Jack sighed, handing her the spyglass. As soon as Jasmine got a good look through it, her resulting shock caused her to drop it to the ground.

"White sails…English flag…East India Trading Company," Jasmine choked. "It's a rescue ship." Tears began to spill from her eyes.

"You really don't want to leave, do you?" Jack held her hand comfortingly. Jasmine shook her head. Jack cupped her chin in his hand. "I have a plan. I'll give you a new change of clothes, and you can be disguised as one of my crew members. I won't let them take you away."

"Thanks, Jack," Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief. She followed Jack into his cabin, where he gave her a new set of sailor's clothes. Jack helped her tie a long strip of cloth around her chest to make it look flatter. He then covered that with a jacket and placed a shabby tricorn hat over her hair. As a finishing touch, he strapped a belt around her waist and attached a sword and two daggers to it.

"There," Jack smiled at his handiwork. "You look like a true pirate crew member."

"Captain!" a voice came from out on deck. "We're coming up on the _Silver Wave_!"

"Time to chase away some Royal Navy pricks!" Jack announced. Jasmine turned to leave the cabin, but Jack pulled her back into his arms. "Not so fast, little rogue." Without another word, he trapped her lips in a soft, passionate kiss. His hands held her face gently while her arms coiled around his waist.

"Was that for luck?" Jasmine questioned when they broke apart.

"No," Jack smiled while hugging her. "That was just for the heck of it."

"Well, I'll keep it as my good luck charm anyway," Jasmine smirked. She and Jack then left the cabin and emerged out on deck. The _Pearl_ was getting closer and closer to the _Wave_ with every passing second. Jasmine's heartbeat quickened. Unlike Jack, she had never fought a sea battle before. The only fighting she had ever taken part in were her little sparring matches with Jack. "I can do this!" she whispered to herself. She stood back, repeating it over and over again, while Jack shouted orders to the crew. The cannons were prepared just in case, but they weren't put into plain sight.

As the ships drew even closer, Jack approached Jasmine. "Stay alert and stay near me," he directed her, "and you won't get hurt."

Jasmine nodded. She was shaking with anxiety.

"Listen to me, Jasmine." Jack took her hands firmly. "_No one_ takes my girl from me." This time, Jasmine could feel a little more comfortable, and she finally calmed down.

"Now, I'll assume since they're trying to rescue me and not blow me to pieces, they won't open fire right away," Jasmine suggested.

"Good point, so you should be relatively safe," Jack nodded. Finally, the ships were perfectly aligned. Several soldiers in naval uniforms swung across onto the deck of the _Pearl_. One of them was dressed in fancier clothes, so Jasmine presumed him to be the captain.

"What business brings you aboard my ship?" Jack asked with slight suspicion, although he kept his hands well away from his sword.

"We are looking for Jasmine Gardener!" the captain declared.

"What makes you think she would be here, aboard the _Pearl_?" Jack asked innocently, shooting Jasmine a quick side glance.

"She was kidnapped by pirates and we were told to search every pirate vessel until we find her," the captain offered.

"There will be no need for a search, sir," Jack smirked. "I would know if there was a woman aboard my ship."

"Unfortunately, _Captain_, it's not your choice," said the captain of the _Silver Wave_. "We're under strict orders to search this ship." Jasmine felt a rush of nervous sweats all over her body, but she did her best to remain calm. As the captain finished his sentence, however, the entire crew of the _Pearl_ drew their swords one by one, including Jasmine. The captain instantly looked nervous. He shouted, "FIRE!" and then drew his own sword. More of his crew boarded the _Pearl_. In an instant, the two crews were tangled in a vicious fight.

Jasmine turned out to be a pretty good fighter. She noticed that, even when fighting pirates, the Navy crew still fought quite ceremoniously. Jack had taught her to be sneaky and opportunistic. He had taught her to spot her opponents' weaknesses and use them to her advantage. Although she made sure not to kill any of her opponents, she did manage to disarm them and knock them unconscious. During the fights, Jack would shout hints to her if she looked like she was getting stuck. Without him, she would probably have ended up either killed or captured.

Eventually, the _Silver Wave_ began to sink. Its surviving crew members, including the captain, were herded into the _Pearl_'s brig.

Once the whole ordeal was finally over, Jasmine went into Jack's cabin. She found him hunched over his desk with blood dripping from several cuts on his arms. "Jack, let me take care of those," she sighed. She poured water from a nearby pitcher into a bowl and soaked a couple of clean rags.

"I should be saying the same for you," Jack smirked. Underneath her jacket, she could see scrapes on her chest and stomach. Smirking, Jack took off his shirt while Jasmine unbuttoned her jacket.

"You first," she said firmly, enjoying the contours of his sculpted chest and stomach. With soft, caring motions, she cleaned the blood from his wounds with one of the rags. When she was done with a particularly bad one on his chest, she dropped a small kiss onto it.

"Now it's your turn," Jack said deviously while eyeing Jasmine's curves.

"Don't think it's _that_ easy, Captain Sparrow," Jasmine teased. She sat down in one of the chairs by his desk but only rolled her shirt up so that it exposed her stomach.

"You're no fun," Jack whined as he washed her cuts with similar gentle motions. However, when he was finished, he kissed her lips instead of one of her wounds. Instead of kissing him back, Jasmine lowered her head and refused to look at him. "What's wrong?" he asked, slightly worried.

"Thanks for helping me today," Jasmine managed a smile.

"I know for a fact that that's not all you want to say," Jack smirked. "Come here." He then took her into his arms and sat down on his bed with her in his lap.

"What if my sisters get married and I don't _want_ to leave?" Jasmine wondered. She buried her face in his shoulder and loosely coiled her arms around him.

"That's _all_ you're worried about?" Jack was surprised. Jasmine nodded against his shoulder. "Well, if you don't want to go home, then you don't have to. You can stay with me as long as you want." He then cradled her against his chest like a small child.

"Thanks, Jack," Jasmine smiled. She was grateful that she could feel so comfortable and secure with Jack. Then, the hand that rested on his shoulder began to travel down his chest and stomach, finally coming to rest right above his waist.

"Oh, I see you've got a naughty side," Jack smirked, cuddling her closer. "Do you want more?"

"Not at the moment, no," Jasmine winked, "but I'll let you know when I do."

* * *

**Author's Note**: this is absolutely not the first rescue attempt that Jasmine will face…


	8. The Admiral

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Eight**: The Admiral

One morning, Lily and Holly were having tea in Holly's cabin when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Lily called out. The door opened and Beckett came in. "Oh, good morning, sweetheart," Lily greeted him.

"Ladies, I need you both to come outside," Beckett instructed them. His voice was a little cold. Without a word, both girls put down their teacups and followed him.

"Is there something wrong?" Lily asked, coming up alongside him.

"No, we have a visitor," Beckett replied simply. Lily sighed under her breath, angry at his tone of voice. She then stopped and waited for Holly to catch up.

"What's his problem?" Lily whispered.

"No idea," sighed Holly. "I wonder who this visitor is." The trio then emerged out on deck, where the girls noticed a very finely dressed sailor politely chatting with the captain.

"Admiral Reeve," Beckett called out with a slight smile. "I would like to present my fiancé, Lily, and her sister, Holly." Both girls made perfect, polite curtsies. When Lily got a look at him, she couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. His uniform was perfectly pressed, without a single wrinkle in sight, and he had a charming smile. He bowed very formally to the girls and kissed both of their hands.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintances," Reeve said politely.

"Admiral Reeve," Beckett continued, "is going to aid us in the search for your sister. His ship will be following us for the duration of the voyage."

"Thank you, sir," Lily gave him a friendly smile. "We greatly appreciate your assistance."

"It's such a terrible thing," Reeve sighed sadly.

"Excuse me?" Lily was confused.

"Oh, I meant your sister, and how she was kidnapped," Reeve blushed a little.

"Admiral," Beckett cut in. "May I have a quick word?"

"Of course, Lord Beckett," Reeve nodded. For some reason, he winked at Holly before he turned and walked off with Beckett.

"What was that all about?" Holly drew Lily aside.

"What?" asked Lily.

"He winked at me," Holly shivered a little. "And he was staring at me the whole time."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Lily gave her sister a quick hug. "Let's see if we can hear what they're saying." The girls crept a little closer. While they got as close as possible, they pretended to be having a very important conversation.

"So what happens when we find her?" Reeve whispered.

"I got a report back from one of the survivors of the _Silver Wave_ attack," Beckett stated. "He says that Sparrow refused to let them search his ship. He also reported seeing a crewman having a cunning resemblance to Jasmine. She has to be with Sparrow. Therefore, we must find her at all costs."

"Might I ask, sir, why she is so important to you?" Reeve sounded bored.

"If she is with Sparrow, then she will be able to provide details that will lead to his arrest and execution," Beckett said carelessly. Lily was deeply hurt when he failed to mention that Jasmine was his fiancé's sister. Beckett continued, "She needs to be hunted down and taught a lesson about associating with pirates."

"What kind of 'lesson'?" Reeve was sounding interested now. His lips curled into an uncomfortably creepy smile.

"Well, when she is tracked down and retrieved from Sparrow, she will be turned over to you," answered Beckett. His smirk made both girls shudder. "When we return to Port Royal, she will be your wife. I've noticed that you can be quite…creative with women."

"Oh, my God, he's going to_ rape_ Jasmine!" Lily panicked, managing to keep her voice at a whisper.

"I know!" Holly was ready to cry. "I knew he was up to no good!"

"What if she is…reluctant to come with us?" Reeve pointed out. Lily had to admit that he had a good point. When Jasmine had made up her mind about something, it was difficult to get her to change it. She had always been a rebel.

"Use your imagination," Beckett answered.

"As you wish, sir," said Reeve.

"We have to talk to him," Lily said bravely.

"No!" Holly shook her head immediately. "If he's willing to rape our sister, who knows what he could do to us!"

"How could Cutler _do_ this?" Lily's eyes were filling with tears. "One day, he's showering me with affection, and the next, he's planning to have Jasmine kidnapped and raped!" Sobbing, she fell into Holly's arms. Holly soothingly rubbed her back. "I don't believe this," Lily choked out.

"Well, I'm going to keep an eye on this Admiral Reeve," she said in a determined voice. "Who knows, maybe I can get some more details out of him."

"Be careful, sweetie," Lily warned. Just as Beckett looked over at her, she broke away from Holly and dashed back down to her cabin. She tripped several times and lost one of her shoes, but she didn't care. She needed to be alone where she could cry in peace.

_How could he do this to me?_ Lily thought. He was always burying her with loving words and affection. Now he was stabbing her in the back. She and Holly were no longer safe. Jasmine would no longer be safe. Unfortunately, she realized, she had to pretend as if she had never overheard Beckett's plans. Now that she was aware of what he was capable of, she had to keep on her toes.

* * *

Lily refused to leave her cabin for almost a day. She even locked the door so that she wouldn't be interrupted. "How can I face Cutler and be all loving towards him when I know what he's up to?" she asked herself. Then, there was a knock on the door.

"Lil?" the voice was familiar. "It's Holly."

Lily jumped up from the chair she had been sitting on and rushed over to unlock the door. Holly greeted her with a warm hug. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Lily shook her head. "I can't face him," she admitted, referring to Beckett. "Now that we know what he's up to, I can't even think about him."

"Here, sit down," Holly sat her back down in her chair. "Well, we did find out something good from their little conversation."

"What's that?" Lily sighed. She folded her hands tightly until her knuckles turned white.

"We were right," Holly smiled. "Jasmine's with Jack Sparrow. And, since she was apparently disguised as a crewman and fighting on his side, she obviously didn't want to leave, which means that he's taking good care of her." Lily finally managed a smile.

"I guess that _is_ good news," she breathed a sigh of relief. She then looked down at her engagement ring. It was a beautiful, perfectly-cut 3-carat diamond on a narrow gold band. "I can't wear this," she became sad again.

"I can keep it safe for you," Holly suggested.

"That would be nice," Lily gently eased it off her left ring finger and handed it over. Holly opened a large gold locket that she wore around her neck and stowed the ring safely inside. She then gazed dreamily at her own ring. It was a 1-carat sapphire surrounded by a ring of tiny diamonds. "You're so lucky," smiled Lily.

"I just wish he was back," Holly had to take deep breaths to avoid crying. "He's out there somewhere, chasing down Jack Sparrow. I just wish he was with me."

"I'm happy for you," Lily patted Holly's hand gently. "You've found the perfect man." Both girls sighed happily.

"So, what are you going to do about your wedding?" Holly pointed out.

"I don't know," Lily admitted. "I won't call it off just yet. Maybe there's still a chance that he and I can work things out."

"Well, whether you get married or not, your sisters always have your back," Holly reached out and gave Lily a loving hug.

"What would I do without you?" Lily was bubbling with love for her sisters. "Hey, I don't need a man to make me happy! I just need the two of you, and I'm all set!"

"That's the spirit!" laughed Holly. The two girls hugged again.

* * *

**Author's Note**: so…we've met our villain. Now we just have to keep him at bay.


	9. Crossed Swords

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Nine**: Crossed Swords

Jack and Jasmine successfully fought off seven rescue attempts, not including the _Silver Wave_, all within about a month. Each victimized crew was utterly shocked at Jasmine's reluctance to be rescued. Each time, a number of survivors managed to escape and get reports back to Beckett and Norrington, but for Jasmine, everything was going well. However, one day, things took an unexpected turn.

Jasmine was napping peacefully in the late afternoon when Jack came into her cabin.

"Jasmine, a ship's been spotted!" Jack said urgently. That was all it took for Jasmine to throw aside the covers and jump out of bed to get ready for the upcoming battle. While she changed into pants, a baggy shirt, and a vest, Jack prepared her sword belt and tied her hair back so it wouldn't get in the way.

"There," Jack finished by giving her a quick kiss once she was fully armed. "Let's go!" The pair walked out on deck, hand in hand, and looked out at the approaching ship.

"Which ship is that?" Jasmine asked Gibbs, Jack's first mate.

"The _Interceptor_, miss!" Gibbs answered before running down to the gun deck to get the cannons prepared. Jasmine gulped uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" Jack took her hand.

"That's the _Interceptor_!" Jasmine was frantic.

"So?" Jack was a little confused.

"_So_, that's Norrington's ship!" Jasmine's field of vision was blurring with tears.

"Oh," Jack was quick to comfort her. He pulled her gently to his chest and hugged her.

"I can't fight him," Jasmine sighed. "He's my brother." Technically, he was her brother-in-law, but she looked to him as an actual brother, as well as Beckett, considering how close she was with her sisters. She looked out over the railing and saw the _Interceptor_ getting closer by the second. The two ships were almost matched for speed.

"I won't let them take you," Jack whispered.

"Come on," Jasmine pulled away and smiled. "Let's do this."

"Together?" Jack leaned in for a kiss.

"Together," Jasmine concluded. She linked arms with him and the two strode confidently to the helm. It wasn't long before the ships were side-by-side. At least a dozen sailors from the _Interceptor_ boarded the _Pearl_. Jasmine and Jack went down to face them. Norrington was among them.

"Jasmine!" he gasped when he laid eyes on his sister-in-law.

"Hello, James," Jasmine greeted him. She paced back and forth, never taking her eyes off of him. "What brings you here?" she inquired innocently.

"Jasmine, it's about time you returned to your sisters," said Norrington. "You've refused eight rescue attempts so far. You could be arrested for piracy, as well as aiding a pirate. You need to come home."

"See, there are a few problems with your argument," Jasmine smirked. When everything fell silent, she continued, "One: the previous eight rescue attempts were made by complete strangers. I'm not getting on some ship with a bunch of men I don't even know and trusting that they intend to bring me back to my sisters. I'm a lot smarter than that, James. Two: I don't need to be 'rescued'. Jack didn't kidnap me. Captain Barbossa did, and Captain Sparrow here rescued me from him. Three: I love Jack, and I'm not going to leave him." She looked over at Jack, who gave her a slightly tearful smile.

"Alright, then I guess you leave me with no other option," Norrington shrugged. "Fire!" he shouted over at the _Interceptor_.

"Fire all!" Jack and Jasmine shouted together to the crew of the _Pearl_. At that moment, they crossed swords with the crew of the _Interceptor_.

Jasmine and Norrington were tangled in a duel.

"Do you have any idea about how much trouble you've caused?" Norrington shouted as he dodged one of Jasmine's attacks.

"Oh, yes, I'm aware!" Jasmine said cheerfully.

"Then why won't you come home?" Norrington was frustrated.

"Lily and Holly have both found their true loves," said Jasmine. She was skipping circles around Norrington, attacking him from all sides while he attempted to follow her, although she had absolutely no intention to kill him. She took a deep breath and continued, "I needed to find mine, too, and now I have. I love Jack!"

"Jasmine, he's a pirate!" Norrington seemed to spit out the last word. "You can find someone a lot better than that!"

"Too late!" Jasmine managed to disarm him. He put his hands up while her sword tip was only a few inches from his heart. "Now, I'll let you go free, but you have to tell them to _stop looking for me_! I'm perfectly safe with Jack."

"Alright, alright," Norrington sighed, admitting defeat.

"Here, come with me," Jasmine sighed. She took his hand and led him below deck, away from the battle. Once they were out of sight, she reached over and hugged him. "James, I'm so sorry!"

"Sorry for what?" Norrington gently hugged her back.

"I'm sorry for being so harsh," Jasmine admitted when she pulled away. "I do miss my sisters terribly, but I really _have_ fallen in love with Jack. I can't leave him. Do you understand?"

"Jasmine," Norrington sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's a _pirate_. My job is to catch him and bring him to justice while bringing you safely home to your sisters. But, if you are certain that you love him, then I might be able to look the other way."

"You would do that?" Jasmine was a little surprised.

"For a girl who is soon to be my sister, I think so," Norrington smiled. "I'm just glad you're safe. I'll get a message back to Lily and Holly."

"Thanks, James," Jasmine was grateful. The two then went back up on deck.

"Sailors, back to the _Interceptor_!" Norrington shouted. Jasmine ran over to Jack.

"Jack, he's going to leave us alone!" she was excited. "They're going to stop looking for me!"

With a sigh of relief, Jack took Jasmine in his arms, lifted her right off the ground, and twirled her around a few times. When he brought her back down again, their lips were locked together. They didn't let go for almost a minute, when the _Interceptor_ began to sail off.

"Jasmine," Jack took both of her hands. "Did you really mean what you said back there? That you…love me?" Jasmine nodded with a big smile on her face. Jack gently took her face in his hands and placed a tiny kiss on her forehead. "Then you're _definitely_ not leaving me any time soon." They both burst out laughing, which ended in a warm, comforting hug.

* * *

**Author's Note**: don't think Jasmine's out of the woods yet! Remember… she hasn't even met Reeve yet


	10. Hot Pursuit

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Ten**: Hot Pursuit

It didn't take long for the _Interceptor_ and the _Dauntless_ to meet again.

"Oh, my God!" Holly gasped from her spot on the bow when she saw her fiancé's ship approaching. "It's James! He's back!" Lily, who had been standing at her side, hugged her tightly.

"Maybe he found Jasmine," Lily was excited as well. She was absolutely bursting with excitement. "Maybe she's coming home."

"Let's hope so," Holly sighed. The girls went down onto the main deck as the _Interceptor_ sent out a rowboat of crewmen to board the _Dauntless_. Holly caught a glimpse of her fiancé. A single joyful tear dripped from her eyes. After only a few minutes, she could see him climbing aboard the ship. "James!" she shrieked happily and ran into his arms. He caught her in one strong grasp and held her close.

"Oh, my dear Holly, I've missed you so much!" Norrington was getting a little choked up. Tears were coming from his eyes as well.

"Do you have news of Jasmine?" Holly asked when they finally managed to pull apart. "Did you bring her back to us?"

"Well, no," Norrington admitted, initiating a pained look on Holly's face. "We were unable to bring her back to you."

"But you at least saw her, right? Is she alright?" Holly was frantic.

"Sweetheart, calm down," Norrington held her gently by the shoulders. "Yes, I did see her, and we managed to talk. However, the news is not exactly pleasant."

"Well, tell me anyway," Holly demanded.

"Alright," Norrington began, "She was completely reluctant to come with me. She stated that Jack Sparrow did not kidnap her, that he rescued from her actual kidnappers, and that she is perfectly safe. She misses you and Lily terribly, but she has fallen in love with Sparrow and refuses to leave him."

Holly sighed. "Well, as long as she's safe and happy, then whatever she decides is alright with me. I'm sure we'll be able to see her again." Then she smiled. "I'm just glad that she's finally found her true love. Lily and I have been waiting for this since we entered our first courtships." However, the expression on her face told Norrington that she wasn't quite convinced.

"Holly," he took her face in his hands. "I spoke with Jasmine myself. She is perfectly fine. She is not hurt, and she is quite happy in her present situation."

"Thank you," Holly sighed and pulled him into a gentle kiss.

* * *

"Did he find Jasmine?" Lily asked Beckett. She had decided to try to warm up to him again. She had even put her engagement ring back on.

"He did, but she did not come back with him," Beckett replied. He was keeping a comfortable distance from her, due to the mood she had lately been in. "But, according to James, she is perfectly alright and quite happy."

"Then, that's good to hear, at least," Lily admitted. "I just hope that someday, she decides to come back."

"She needs to come back immediately, Lily," said Beckett in a strong voice.

"And why is that?" Lily was getting a bit defensive. She crossed her arms and gave him a hard glare. "If she's happy, then we should just leave her alone."

"Lily," sighed Beckett, "She is having dealings with a pirate, one of the most wanted pirates in my entire career. Jack Sparrow is a criminal, and unfortunately that makes Jasmine a criminal as well."

"No," Lily stated sharply. "Jasmine is _not_ a criminal."

"Lily, I know this is hard for you to understand," Beckett began. However, he was soon cut off by Lily.

"Oh, I understand _perfectly_. Just because my sister is with a pirate, you believe that she is just some common criminal!" Lily's voice was raised and her heart was pulsing with anger.

"Lily, when we find her, I will have to take her into custody!" Beckett shouted.

"Over my dead body!" Lily fought back. In one quick motion, she had slapped him hard across the face. As he stood there, completely in shock, she stormed off to find Holly.

* * *

"Holly! James!" Lily called out. Both of them looked down from where they stood at the helm. "Come here, please. I need to talk to you both!" They were quick to rush down the stairs and approach her. "Jasmine's in trouble," she began calmly.

"How?" Norrington was confused. "She's safe with Jack Sparrow."

"Unfortunately, she's not safe for long," sighed Lily.

"What's going on?" Holly stepped in, looking a little scared.

"Cutler is claiming that, just because she is keeping company with a pirate, she is a criminal," stated Lily. "He is going to hunt her down and bring her to justice. That might even mean that she will be put to death." Holly clasped and brought both hands to her lips. Norrington placed a comforting arm around her. Lily continued, "We have to make sure that she stays safe. We need to take the _Interceptor_ and go find her to warn her."

"Good idea," Norrington nodded. "Beckett will want to come after us if he finds out about this, but the _Interceptor_ is much faster, so we'll be able to get away."

"Lily, I am so proud of you," Holly smiled. "Ever since we came on this voyage, you've been tossing aside your shy side and emerging as this new, strong minded, powerful woman. A few years ago, you would never have suggested something like that. And, you never would have just pushed aside your fiancé like that."

"I guess I've found my confidence," Lily shrugged, with a little bit of an ego boost from Holly's praise. "Well, who's in?"

"I am," Holly gave her sister a hug.

"So am I," Norrington took Holly's hand.

"Let's go," Lily grinned. The trio went over to the rail and, when Beckett wasn't looking, climbed down into one of the rowboats. As fast as they could, for fear of being caught, they rowed over to the _Interceptor_, with James and Holly on the oars and Lily keeping watch. Luckily, they weren't caught, and they arrived safely at the _Interceptor_ and climbed aboard.

"Full sail!" Norrington shouted. "Pull up the anchor!" The crew got busy following his orders.

* * *

"Lord Beckett!" Reeve shouted as he ran towards the helm.

"Yes, Admiral Reeve?" Beckett answered.

"Norrington, Holly, and Lily are missing!" Reeve was a little out of breath. "I think they've escaped to the _Interceptor_!"

"Well, get back to your ship and get after them!" Beckett demanded. Reeve gave him a quick salute. The crew of his ship, the _Renegade_, began preparing the ship for pursuit. However, Reeve returned in about fifteen minutes.

"The ship's sprung a leak!" he informed Beckett.

"Damn it!" Beckett slammed his fist on the rail. "They can't get away!"

"We'll have to use the _Dauntless_, sir!" Reeve pleaded.

"It's too slow," Beckett admitted. "We'll never catch them." Then he changed his mind. "Do what you can, Admiral."

"Thank you, sir!" Reeve bowed and began commanding the crew of the _Dauntless_.

"They won't get away _that_ easily," Beckett smirked.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Kudos to Lily for taking charge, and to Holly and Norrington for supporting her! But now they've got an angry admiral and an even angrier fiancé on their tails…


	11. On the Run

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Eleven**: On the Run

It only took about a week for the _Interceptor_ for catch up to the _Pearl_. Buzzing with excitement, but nervous at the same time, Norrington, Lily, and Holly rowed over to the ship. As soon as they climbed aboard, the girls were attacked with hugs from Jasmine.

"Oh, my God!" she shrieked. "I've missed you two so much!"

"We were worried sick about you!" Holly was out of breath.

"I bet," Jasmine pulled back and smiled at both her sisters. "I was wondering if I'd ever see you again! I'm so sorry for leaving."

"Hey, it's alright," Lily reassured her. "We're just glad you're happy."

"Unfortunately, we have some bad news," Holly sighed.

"What is it?" Jasmine's smile quickly turned into a frown.

"Is there somewhere else we can go talk?" Lily asked, wanting to be away from all the pirates.

"Sure…" Jasmine shrugged. "Can Jack be there?"

"Of course," Holly nodded. Together, Jack, Norrington, and all three girls gathered up at the bow, where there were fewer crewmen. "Ok, let's get down to business." All five of them were gathered in a circle. "Beckett is after us."

"Correction, he's after _me_," Jasmine pointed out.

"No, Jasmine, he's after all of us," said Holly. Her slightly snappy tone of voice was a signal for Jasmine to stop talking and listen. Holly continued, "When he got the report back after James's encounter with you, he was irritated about the fact that you didn't come back. He believes that you are a criminal because of your 'associations' with a pirate. He will stop at nothing to hunt you down and bring you to justice, possibly execution."

"But why would he be after the rest of you as well?" Jack asked.

"Lily, James, and I escaped from the _Dauntless_ to come and warn the two of you," answered Holly, pointing to Jasmine and Jack. "There is also someone you two should be aware of. His name is Admiral Reeve, and he's been aiding Beckett lately in the voyage. He's also been plotting with Beckett for Jasmine's capture. Beckett plans to turn Jasmine over to Reeve if they manage to get her back, and eventually have her married to him when we return to Port Royal." Jasmine, suddenly nervous, clasped Jack's hand.

"I guess it's sort of a lose-lose situation," Jasmine sighed.

"Why is that?" asked Lily.

"Well, if I stay with Jack, then they'll just keep coming after us," Jasmine pointed out, "But if I go with them, then I'll be forced to marry this Admiral Reeve you mentioned."

"You do realize that I'd never let you be taken away from me?" Jack tried to reassure her.

"Unfortunately, that's not quite enough this time," Jasmine sighed.

"Well, fortunately," said Norrington, "the _Dauntless_ is much slower than the _Pearl_ and the _Interceptor_. We should have little trouble staying away from them."

"It sounds like we're going to be at sea for a long time," Lily realized.

"I hate to say it, Lily, but it might take Cutler's death to get them off our tails," said Holly in a quiet voice. Lily brought a hand to her heart. A single tear fell from her eyes.

"Sorry, love, but your dear fiancé does have a bad side," Jack said sadly.

"Oh, really?" Lily snapped, leaving Jack looking a little hurt. "I'm sorry," she sighed.

"It's quite alright," smiled Jack. "Now, may I have a word alone with Jasmine?"

"Of course," said Holly.

* * *

Jack led Jasmine into his cabin. "What are we going to do here, love?" He took her hands and held them to his heart.

"I don't know, Jack," Jasmine sighed. "It's bad enough that Beckett's already after me. Now my sisters had to get pulled into it, too. And, to top it all off, we have this Admiral Reeve to deal with. I'm so scared, Jack!" She then began to cry.

"Come here, love," Jack pulled her into a gentle hug. "I know I can't guarantee anything, but just believe that I love you and want to keep you safe."

"That's plenty good enough," Jasmine managed a smile before leaning in for a quick kiss. Then she changed the subject. "Well, I guess Lily won't be marrying Beckett anytime soon."

"Yeah, that's a good point," said Jack, "considering how he's trying to hunt down her sister and send some godforsaken jackass admiral after her."

"But I think Holly was right," Jasmine admitted. "It might take Beckett's death, along with his, to end this ordeal."

"Well, I'd be happy to participate in both of those deaths," Jack said in a determined voice. Then he remembered something, "Come to think of it, our goal when I first took you in was to hunt down and kill Barbossa."

"You know, I'd almost completely forgotten about that," said Jasmine, suddenly remembering it as well. "But right now, our main priority is going to be to catch Beckett and Reeve. Then we can get back to catching Barbossa."

"Of course," said Jack. "Three bastards to hunt down… that should keep us busy for a while." Jasmine even managed to laugh at Jack's small bit of humor. Then she got a distant, spaced-out look in her eyes. She stared out the window and sighed. "What's wrong?" Jack was genuinely concerned.

"This whole situation is getting worse every day," Jasmine sighed. "First, all I do is cause them pain. Now, they're actually in real danger."

"Jasmine, for the love of God, listen to me!" Jack seemed to be getting annoyed with Jasmine's whining. "We're going to do whatever it takes to bring them down, but you need to have a little faith in me, in your sisters, and _yourself_." He then softened his tone and caressed Jasmine's face. "What's done is done. We can't change what's already happened. We're in way too deep to back up now."

"Thanks, Jack," Jasmine gave Jack a quick peck on the cheek. A feeling of safety began to wrap itself around her. "What would I do without you?"

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the _Dauntless_, Beckett and Reeve were planning their retrieval of the girls.

"Since all three girls, along with Lieutenant Norrington, are associating with pirates," Beckett's anger was rising. "They can all be charged and executed."

"Don't you think that's taking it a little too far?" Reeve was pacing Beckett's cabin, deep in thought. "From what you've told me about Norrington, he sounds like a very valuable military asset. Executing him would be a very bad idea."

"But now that he's associating with pirates, that changes him from a military asset to a criminal!" Beckett shouted.

"You're after five different people right now, all of whom are conspiring against us," Reeve pointed out. "Jack Sparrow is one of the most successful and powerful pirates in the entire Caribbean Sea. He could very well have learned some extremely crucial information about us from those girls. We don't want to go after him until we're prepared."

"We make quite a pair, don't we?" Beckett smiled evilly. "I make the calls and organize the plans, but you back them up with facts, logic, and convincing arguments."

"We do make quite a pair, Lord Beckett," Reeve smirked as well. "And we'll get those girls, be it willingly or at the point of a sword." He turned to leave, but Beckett stopped him.

"Oh, I almost forgot, Admiral," Beckett reached into his desk and pulled out a small but heavy pouch. "Your weekly payment." He dropped the pouch into Reeve's hand. Reeve undid the strings, looked inside, and took on another evil smirk.

"Thank you very much, sir," Reeve bowed deeply and left the cabin, with Beckett growing a more and more satisfying smirk with each of his steps.

* * *

**Author's Note**: It seems like Norrington and the girls have a pretty stable plan, but now it turns out that Reeve is Beckett's hired mercenary. Sounds like the girls won't be safe for long...


	12. The Tables Turn

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Twelve**: The Tables Turn

Over the course of three weeks, Jack and Jasmine worked together to train Lily and Holly in swordfighting. They also exchanged the girls' dresses, corsets, and high-heeled shoes in favor of baggy shirts, vests, pants, and leather boots. Both Lily and Holly were prepared to fight to the death to protect their sister's freedom and keep her with the man she loved.

One afternoon, the girls were practicing their sword skills as usual when a ship was spotted.

"Jack, toss me your spyglass!" Jasmine shouted to Jack, who was up at the helm. When it was gently tossed down into her hands, she went to the stern and looked through it. What she saw brought on a shortness of breath. The _Dauntless_ was approaching. Lily, who was standing nearby, understood.

"Captain Sparrow, the _Dauntless_ is approaching!" Lily shouted.

"Is there a problem with that?" Jack asked. "We can easily outrun them!"

"He has a point," Lily pointed out to Jasmine.

"No," Jasmine shook her head. "We can't keep running forever!" She then went up beside Jack. "We have to fight."

"Are you sure?" Jack took her hand. Jasmine nodded.

"If we keep running forever, they'll never be stopped," she sighed. After giving Jack a quick kiss, she went back down onto the main deck. "Lily, Holly, come here!" she shouted. Both of her sisters were soon at her side. "Today we fight." She drew her sword and raised it above her head.

"I won't stop until Reeve is dead," Holly drew her own sword and met it with Jasmine's.

"Now's the time I show my backstabbing fiancé what I'm truly capable of," Lily's sword soon joined her sisters'. Then, all three girls stepped back.

The _Dauntless_ was getting farther away, due to the fact that the _Pearl_ and the _Interceptor_ were faster. "Jack, turn!" Jasmine shouted. Jack nodded, took hold of the wheel, and make a sharp starboard turn. The girls held on tight to the railing as the _Pearl_ made a full 180-degree turn, mirrored soon after by the _Interceptor_. "Make sure we surround them!"

Despite the speed advantage of the two ships, Jasmine was fully aware of the firepower superiority of the _Dauntless_. It was built as a war ship, and it carried more cannons than the _Pearl_ and the _Interceptor_ combined.

"Load the guns!" Jack shouted down to the gun deck. Over on the _Interceptor_, Norrington was doing the same.

"Miss Jasmine!" Gibbs came running up the stairs from the gun deck. "We're low on ammunition!"

"How much do we have?" Jasmine gulped.

"Not enough!" Gibbs replied before running over to tell Jack.

"Shit!" Jasmine groaned. "James!" she called over the railing toward the _Interceptor_. Norrington quickly turned his head. "Do you have enough ammunition? The _Pearl_'s low!" she shouted.

"No, we're getting low, too!" Norrington shouted back.

Scared out of her mind, Jasmine ran to the helm. "The _Interceptor_'s running low as well," she informed Jack. "But it's too late to run now."

"Then we'll just have to make do with what we have," Jack sighed.

Gradually, the _Interceptor_ and the _Pearl_ drew closer to the _Dauntless_. The pair separated, forming a V with which to surround their prey.

"Ready on the guns!" Jasmine stood on the stairs leading to the gun deck. "Wait for my signal." The ships drew even closer, inch by inch until, finally, the _Dauntless_ was ensnared. "Fire!" Jasmine shouted at the top of her lungs. Loud booming sounds filled the air around her and pounded through her eardrums.

"Prepare to board!" Reeve shouted from the _Dauntless_. The sailors tossed a series of grappling hooks across the railings of both ships. One by one, they swung over on ropes. Jasmine, Lily, and Holly all drew their swords and met them with bloodlust in their eyes.

Each of the girls was shown to have a unique characteristic to their swordfighting style. Jasmine was small, light, and quick, so she could easily duck and jab while taking hardly any hits at all. Holly had a very strong offense through a series of small flicks of her wrist. Finally, Lily's reflexes were impeccable, which allowed her to have a great defense.

Eventually, as Holly yanked her sword from the body of one of her victims, she came face-to-face with Reeve.

"Ah, Miss Gardener," Reeve bowed mockingly. "I wondered when I would see you again."

"Don't play games with me, you son of a bitch," Holly snarled. "Jasmine!"

Jasmine was quick to approach. She took one look at Reeve and instantly knew who he was. "Thank you, Holly. I can take it from here." With that, she launched herself into a duel. As the minutes crawled by, she noticed that Reeve's skills were incredible. He was more than an equal match for her. Jasmine actually began to fear for her life. "Let me guess," she shouted between sword thrusts. "You're here to kidnap me, rape me, and then force me to marry you!"

"Something like that!" replied Reeve.

"My sisters told me all about you!" said Jasmine. Then she noticed that Reeve's sword thrusts were forcing her to back up into the railing. Finally, she had two choices: let him take her down or attempt to jump overboard. Finally, she overruled both and took a brave jab at Reeve. She was aiming a stab for his stomach, but he managed to tap her sword to the side, causing it instead to go through his lower left ribcage.

Reeve dropped to his knees, clutching his bloody wound.

"That was too easy," Jasmine mocked him.

"Not so fast, you little bitch!" Reeve snarled back. "Seize her!" he screamed at his surrounding crew members. Within seconds, Jasmine was grabbed and restrained by at least half a dozen men. A knife was held dangerously close to her throat. Everyone's attention turned to her.

"Jasmine!" Jack gasped. His mouth dropped open in shock.

"No!" Lily whined. Both she and Holly felt a crushing defeat.

"It's okay," Jasmine was choking back tears. "I'll be okay."

"Now," Reeve snarled as he struggled to his feet. "I'm taking this young lady with me. If I get any resistance from _any_ of you, I'll slit her throat and let her bleed to death." Jack and Jasmine mouthed 'I love you' to each other over and over again as Jasmine was dragged over the railing and down into a rowboat. She could hear both of her sisters crying, but she couldn't do anything to comfort them.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Looks like Jasmine's finally been knocked out of balance…


	13. An Opportunity

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Thirteen**: An Opportunity

Jasmine was brought into Beckett's cabin with her wrists tightly chained together. She felt completely exposed and vulnerable, but she refused to let him see it.

"Well, well, good afternoon, Miss Jasmine," Beckett smirked when Jasmine was sat down across from him at his desk.

"Hello, you son of a bitch," Jasmine snarled back.

"Harsh," Beckett smirked. "Although that's not the response I would appreciate from you."

"Well, get used to it," Jasmine spat out. "Because I'm not going to be very nice to you."

"Alright, then," Beckett surrendered. "Let's get down to business. I'll be asking you a series of questions, and you would do well to answer them honestly."

"As long as you answer a few for me," sighed Jasmine, finally starting to cooperate. When Beckett gave a curt nod, she folded her hands in her lap and decided to shut up.

"First question: why did you run away?" Beckett was obviously doing his best to be patient.

"I didn't run away. I was kidnapped," Jasmine corrected him. She only got an irritated glare in return. "Alright, once I ended up with Jack, I decided to stay with him rather than go home."

"And what made you come to that decision?" Beckett folded his hands.

"My sisters were both engaged, and that was all they could talk about," Jasmine admitted sadly. "I was jealous."

"Well, I don't see how a young woman as impulsive and loose as you could ever settle down and find a husband," Beckett smirked. At that instant, Jasmine shot upright out of her chair and began to stare him down. "I seem to have hit a nerve there." Beckett said calmly.

"Now you listen to me!" Jasmine raised her voice. Her forehead was pulsing from her heated anger. "I don't know what spell Lily is under, because I have no idea how she ever could ever have fallen for a selfish bastard like you! I highly doubt that you even love her at all."

"Well, you're thinking wrong," Beckett sighed. "I do love your sister very much, but sometimes things get in the way of an otherwise healthy relationship."

"Like what?" Jasmine sat back down and raised an eyebrow.

"Things like her younger sister running off with a pirate and my need to capture her and bring her to justice," Beckett's patience was beginning to waver.

"Just because I was out of the picture does _not_ mean that you don't have to love her," Jasmine fought to keep her voice calm but firm. "You're essentially telling me that you were too _busy_ to love her."

"You might not be aware that your dear sister Lily has been marked as a criminal, along with Miss Holly," Beckett's smirk returned.

"Oh, I'm well aware," Jasmine forced a fake smile. "If you haven't realized, I've been safe with my sisters for a matter of weeks now. They've told me everything."

"Well then, you must know, capturing you was only part of the plan," said Beckett. "We intend to acquire your sisters as well, along with Lieutenant Norrington and Jack Sparrow."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Jasmine was feeling smug. Even if she was going to her death, at least the others would be safe.

"Well, I see this little interrogation isn't really getting me anywhere," Beckett sighed and stood up. He walked to the door and called a guard in. "Please escort her to a cell."

Jasmine stood up gracefully when the guard walked over and took her by the arm. Keeping her head up, she followed perfectly by his side without saying a word until she was locked into a cell down in the brig. Once the door was closed and locked, the guard actually spoke to her.

"You might have trouble believing this, but I sympathize with you," he said with a small smile.

Jasmine stepped forward and wrapped her fingers around the bars. "And why would that be?" she sighed. "I'm a pirate." She had a hard time admitting that, but since she was in love with a pirate and had been living with and aiding a pirate for weeks now, that all made her one as well.

"You may be a pirate, but Beckett is a worthless bastard. No one should have to be treated like you are. I heard everything he said to you," the guard gently touched her hand through the bars.

Ready to admit defeat, Jasmine sighed. "It gets worse."

"How could it?"

"Have you heard of Admiral Reeve?" Jasmine's voice was beginning to break. The guard nodded, so she continued, "He's an absolutely repulsive man. Beckett intends to turn me over to him and have him rape me and then force me into marrying him."

"I won't stand for that," the guard said firmly.

"Why? You hardly know me," Jasmine sighed, shaking a little from her deep-set fear.

"While that may be true, I've seen too many of his prisoners die before I had a chance to help any of them," he admitted sadly.

"So you're going to help me?" Jasmine's voice wilted to a whisper.

"I'll do whatever I can," the guard smiled.

"What is your name?" Jasmine asked.

"Lieutenant Lionel Williams," he took her hand and gently kissed it. "And I assume you are Miss Jasmine Gardener?"

"Lionel was my father's name," Jasmine remembered sadly. "He was killed during a pirate raid on Port Royal."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Lionel sounded as if he could feel her pain.

Jasmine nodded. After a pause, she continued, "You have no idea how relieved I am right now. I honestly thought I was going to my death." While she was somewhat calm on the outside, she was utterly bubbling with a mixture of excitement, relief, and pure energy on the inside. "Thank you so much!" she gave him a true smile.

"My pleasure, Miss Gardener," said Lionel. "Now, I must be getting back to duty now, but I will return for you tonight."

* * *

"How could this happen?" Lily slammed her fists down on the railing. Tears were spilling from her eyes and soaking into the wood. "We had her back, and now she's gone again!"

"Lily, it's alright," Jack was at her side, doing his best to comfort her. "Calm down."

"Why should I?" Lily retaliated. "My sister's been kidnapped, the man I _thought_ I loved is going to destroy her life, and there's no way we can stop him!"

"Lily!" Jack shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her a few times. "Do you think I'm not aware of all that, that I'm not aching to have her back as much as you are? I _love_ Jasmine, more than you can imagine, but complaining is not going to help us save her."

"You're right," Lily admitted. "I'm sorry. I know you love her, and I know how much she loves you." With a sigh, she leaned on the railing again. "To be honest, I was worried that she would never find love. When we were growing up, Holly and I were always getting courted, but no one ever showed interest in Jasmine. I guess she was always too rebellious for the rules and regulations of society. Now she's found you, which, I admit, is probably the exact opposite of the kind of man my father would have wanted for her, but I'm glad she's found love and I am very happy for both of you." Then, with a lonely sigh, she looked out at the water. It never failed to amaze her how endless the ocean was, but it felt lonely at the same time. "I just wish she'd come back!"

"Come here," Jack gently pulled her from the railing and into his arms. While she cried against his chest, he held her close and gently rubbed her back. Even though he and Jasmine were nowhere near married, Lily still looked to him as a brother and felt comforted by his gesture.

"Thanks, Jack," Lily managed to whisper. "You're going to be a great brother someday."

"We'll see," Jack smiled as he let go of her. "And I'm not going to let Beckett hurt you or let Reeve hurt Jasmine."

"Everything okay?" Holly's voice gently interrupted them.

"Yeah," smiled Lily, "Jack stopped me from having a screaming fit about Jasmine's kidnapping. It's all good."

"Jack seems to be a good influence on all of us right now," Holly reached over and patted his shoulder.

"Why do you say that?" Jack was looking proud.

"Well, you've given Jasmine a chance at love, you stopped Lily from having a screaming fit about Jasmine's kidnapping, and earlier today you told me that you refused to let me lose hope," replied Holly.

"Well, what can I say?" Jack wrapped an arm around each girl's shoulders. "When the time comes for me to marry Jasmine, I'll have the best sisters in the world."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hopefully Lionel can save the day for Jasmine before Reeve gets to her…


	14. Fate's Intervention

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Fourteen**: Fate's Intervention

Jasmine was given some measure of freedom on the _Dauntless_. During the day, she was allowed to go wherever she wanted to on the ship, but she slept in the brig at night. One afternoon, about two weeks after her arrival, she was taking a walk with Lionel during one of his breaks when he stopped and slipped a dagger into the pocket of her dress.

"What's that for?" Jasmine was a little nervous.

"I was talking to Admiral Reeve this morning," Lionel gulped. "He said he's going to 'visit' you tonight."

"Shit," Jasmine muttered under her breath. "I'm scared!" She knew enough about Reeve to know that he wouldn't exactly be gentle with her.

"It'll all be alright soon enough," Lionel took one of her hands and held it to his heart. "I can't get you away tonight, but I'm sure I can arrange something very soon."

Jasmine reached into her pocket and clutched the dagger until it made her fingers bleed. "I can't do this."

"My only advice would be not to try and resist him," Lionel leaned in and whispered. "That will only make it all worse."

"Lieutenant Williams!" the captain called from the helm. "Break's over! Back to your station!"

"I have to go," Lionel said regretfully. He leaned in and quickly kissed her cheek. "I'll come visit you later tonight."

Jasmine watched him leave with tears in her eyes.

* * *

That night, she was alone in the brig when Reeve came down the stairs and made a beeline for her cell. "Come with me," he said coldly when he had unlocked her cell. Without a word, Jasmine stood up and allowed him to take hold of her arm. Along the way, she formed her own secret plan.

She decided that she would submit willingly, in order to keep the situation from escalating to a bloody, violent rape. She would do whatever he asked of her, to keep him from lashing out and beating her. She would only use Lionel's dagger if the situation slipped from her control. She wouldn't let Reeve get to her.

Reeve brought Jasmine into his own cabin, which was considerably nicer than the dirty cell she had been living in lately. She was guided over to a small table, where Reeve handed her a glass of wine.

"No, thank you," Jasmine set the glass back down on the table.

"You won't share a drink with me?" Reeve looked a little hurt. He stepped closer and cupped her chin in his hand. "Shame," he sighed. "You're so beautiful."

"Then why do you try to intimidate me so much?" Jasmine was beginning to lose some of the strength she had built up on the short journey from her cell to the cabin. She shook a little bit.

"I can assure you I don't _mean_ any of that," Reeve's apology seemed almost sincere. "I hope we can have a wonderful time tonight." With that, he put down his glass, took her face in his hands, and gave her a long, tender kiss. Jasmine had to admit that it calmed her down and made her feel more at ease. She even began to coil her arms around his neck. Once he pulled away, though, he began to unbutton Jasmine's shirt, which started to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Wait," Jasmine gasped, but Reeve didn't wait. While continuing to undress her, he leaned down and fiercely began to kiss her neck. Jasmine bit her lip to keep herself from crying.

Once the last button from her shirt was undone, she was shoved backward onto the bed, with Reeve lying on top of her. Along the way, the wine glasses fell from the table, broke on the floor, and splashed bright red wine all over both of them. To Jasmine, it felt like blood.

* * *

"I have a plan!" Lionel whispered to Jasmine as soon as he made it down to the brig later that night. Jasmine, who was exhausted, soaked with sweat, and slightly bruised from her experience with Reeve, barely acknowledged him. "Was it that bad?" he knelt in front of the bars and gently took her hand.

"It was worse than you can imagine," Jasmine shuddered, "But I'd like to try and forget about it. What's your plan?"

"We're making a stop in Tortuga tomorrow night," Lionel seemed excited. Jasmine instantly perked up. An insane, out of control town like Tortuga would make the perfect opportunity for her to escape. "I talked to Reeve, and he said he would take you to an inn that night. What I'll do is follow you on your way there and, as soon as he's distracted or letting his guard down, I can get you away from him."

A bright smile painted itself onto Jasmine's face. "What in the world would I do without you?" Then she realized something. "But would I just stay there until Jack comes to find me? I've heard it's not the nicest place for sober young women."

"That may be your only option, Jasmine," Lionel pointed out. "It would probably be pretty easy for Beckett to find out that I helped you, so I would have to simply disappear. I'm sure you'll be alright, though. You and Jack will be back together before you know it."

"I just can't believe how much you've helped me," Jasmine was near tears. "I thought I was done for. I thought I had hit rock bottom. I thought I would never see Jack again."

"I never quite believed in fate until I met you," Lionel sighed happily. "Once I knew the situation you were in, I decided that I had to man up and finally do something. Like I said before, I've seen too many of Beckett's prisoners die before I had even the slightest chance to help any of them."

"Well, you've helped me," Jasmine gave him an approving smile. "And I couldn't be more grateful for it."

"Well, I should probably let you get a little sleep now after what you've been through tonight," Lionel let go of Jasmine's hand and stood up.

"Thanks for everything," Jasmine's eye were a little teary.

* * *

"We're just stopping in for the night," Jack explained to Lily as the _Pearl_ pulled into Tortuga. "We need to get some supplies, particularly rum, and all get a full night's sleep for once." Although Lily wanted nothing more than to keep looking for Jasmine, she had to admit that Jack had a point about getting a full night's sleep. Finally, Lily and Holly would be able to sleep without constantly being rocked around by the ocean.

"That's a good idea," Lily sighed before succumbing to a yawn.

"Will you be able to make it?" Jack gave her a light punch in the shoulder to try and wake her up.

"Oh, she'll be fine," Holly came up and pinched Lily's sides, causing her to let out a small shriek.

"Holly, you little sneak!" Lily laughed until her stomach hurt.

"I guess she's awake now," Jack punched her again.

"Hey, watch it, Sparrow," Lily warned playfully. Then she looked out over the railing, having seen something in the distance. "Look at that ship out there." She was sounding a little scared. She pointed out at the far end of the harbor. Despite the early evening darkness, she could still recognize the Royal Navy flag flying from its mast.

"It's…the _Dauntless_," Holly gulped.

"Wait!" Lily suddenly brightened up. "That means that Jasmine is here!"

"Oh, my God!" Jack and Holly exclaimed at the same time. Once Jack's shock wore down, he took on a more serious tone. "Okay, once we go ashore, we'll split up, each go in a different direction, and look in every bar and inn we can find. Knowing enough about that Admiral Reeve, he's probably raping her right about now."

"Jack, just please stop saying that for the duration of our time here so that we can focus on getting her back," Lily forced a fake smile. With a heavy sigh, Jack managed to shut up and smile back.

* * *

"It's not all that necessary for you to lead me like a small child as if you're my mother," Jasmine complained. Reeve had a very tight grip on her arm. The two were walking very briskly toward a nearby inn. With every step, Jasmine got less and less confident in Lionel's rescue attempt.

Finally, her miracle arrived. Reeve tripped when he bumped into a barrel on the side of the road, which caused him to let go of Jasmine's arm. Jasmine felt a hand clasp hers, and she took off running. She and Lionel ran, hand in hand, like neither of them had ever run before. Neither of them said a word, or even made eye contact. Their only concern was getting Jasmine to safety.

Eventually, the slowed to a stop just inside a small, cramped alley. Jasmine, out of breath, leaned up against the wall and breathed sighs of relief. "Thank you," she whispered to Lionel, who was constantly checking to make sure they were safe. Then, she caught sight of a head of long and curly blonde hair weaving through the crowd. "Lily?" she muttered to herself and took a closer look. "Lily!" she screamed louder. The blonde woman turned her head and gasped. Lily and Jasmine ran straight into each other's arms.

"Oh, my God!" Lily choked out, with tears spilling from her eyes. "We thought you were done for, but we still never gave up hope."

"Where's Jack?" Jasmine blurted out the first thought that came to mind.

"He's getting a drink or something, and then we were going to stay here for the night," replied Lily, clutching Jasmine's hand, as if she didn't ever want to let go.

"Can we just leave?" Jasmine started to panic. "Reeve's here, and I just need to get away from him!"

"Okay, okay, I'll bring you back to the ship and then I'll get a hold of Jack," Lily gave Jasmine a comforting hug.

"Just give me one minute," Jasmine sighed before turning back to Lionel. "Thank you _so_ much for all your help. If it weren't for you, I'd be looking at a future as Mrs. Admiral Reeve." With that, she pulled Lionel into a warm, friendly hug. "Will you be alright?" She inquired when they pulled apart. "I'm not leaving unless I'm _sure_ you'll be okay."

"Relax, Jasmine, I'll be fine. I'll go back to England, or something." Lionel smiled. "All that matters is that you're going to be safe. Now go!"

After one last tearful hug, Jasmine disappeared into the crowd with Lily and didn't look back.

"Come on!" Lily grabbed her sister's hand. "The _Pearl_'s not too far." Neither of the girls spoke again until they reached the ship. It was nearly empty, except for a couple night watchmen. The rest of the crew were probably getting drinks. Jasmine went straight for his cabin and curled up in his bed. She wrapped the sheets around herself and cried. She was probably only minutes away from seeing her love again, and she couldn't wait any longer.

Eventually, she began to hear sounds outside the cabin. Jack and the crew must have come back. As quickly as she could, she sat up and wiped away her tears. Then, the door to the cabin opened.

"Jack," Jasmine's voice broke. "Jack!" she shrieked, running straight into his arms.

Jack was now openly crying. He held Jasmine as if she was on the verge of death itself. His tears spilled onto her face while they kissed, mixing with her own.

"I thought I would never see you again," Jasmine cried, barely able to speak clearly. "I love you so much."

Jack was still unable to speak.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Yaaaaaay! Jasmine and Jack are back together!


	15. The Situation

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The adventures of three triplet sisters as they all meet the men of their dreams. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part One**__: Beginnings_

**Chapter Fifteen**: The Situation

Jack transferred his usual duties to Gibbs so he could spend a whole day with Jasmine. After she had had a full night's sleep, she and Jack just talked for a while.

"Was Reeve at least gentle with you?" asked Jack. While Jasmine was lying on her stomach, he was gently massaging her back and shoulders.

"Far from it," Jasmine sighed. She and Jack had wanted to sleep together the night before, but she was still bruised and sore from being with Reeve. "He tried to offer me wine and at first, he made me feel almost comfortable. Then, he just went wild. He pinned me down and wouldn't let me move. If I cried, he would slap me."

"Oh," Jack leaned down and kissed her neck. "That bad, huh?"

Jasmine nodded against the sheets. "But I'm back," she looked up at Jack and smiled. "And I'm not leaving anytime soon. I promise."

"Come here," Jack pulled her up into his arms, leaned forward, and gave her a long, soft kiss. "Are you sure you're okay? Because I won't be until you are."

"Jack, I'm _fine_," Jasmine smiled and cuddled him closer. "I love you," she whispered after giving him a peck on the cheek.

"However, there is one thing I'm a little worried about," Jack gulped.

"What?" Jasmine was getting a little worried as well.

"How many times were you…um…_with_ Reeve?" Jack managed to ask.

"Four times," Jasmine shuddered. "Essentially all in the same day. He just sapped all the energy out of me."

"Then you might be…um…pregnant?" Jack struggled to say.

"I know," Jasmine sighed heavily. "I know." Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. "We'll just have to wait and see."

"I wanted to be the one to put you in that situation," Jack pouted.

"Well, we don't know for sure yet," Jasmine pointed out. "Just wait."

* * *

The next day, Jasmine, Lily, and Holly were all out by the railing, where Jasmine was about to share her bad news.

"Jack brought something up about my encounters with Reeve," she sighed, wondering if she would have the strength to say it.

"And what's that?" Holly reached over and took her hand. Lily looked on with utter fear and worry in her eyes.

"I was _with_ Reeve more than once, and Jack pointed out that I might possibly be pregnant," Jasmine sighed. She reached down and laid her hands over her belly. It would be way too early to actually know for sure, but she felt a nagging, deep feeling in her heart. Somehow, she was absolutely certain that she was pregnant. She couldn't quite explain it, but she was willing to bet her life on it.

"I am," Jasmine barely whispered. She was both happy and sad at the same time. She was happy to be a mother and to be able to have a child, but she was upset about the fact that it had been Reeve that impregnated her, rather than Jack.

"How do you know? It's only been a couple days," Lily said gently, reaching out and touching Jasmine's womb.

"I just know, okay?" Jasmine began to cry. Both Lily and Holly took her in their arms, hugged her, kissed her face, and rubbed her back.

"It'll be okay," Lily was on the verge of crying as well.

"Well, no matter _what_ happens," Holly took charge, "Reeve will _not_ find out about this."

"Why?" Jasmine lifted her tearstained face from Holly's shoulder.

"Because then he'd try to take the child away from you," said Lily, who clasped Jasmine's hand. "He would say something like 'a pirate is not the proper parent for a growing child' or something stupid like that." She gently pulled Jasmine into her arms for a hug. "Don't worry about a thing. Holly, Jack, and I will all take care of you and make sure that baby is brought into this world safely.

"I love you two," Jasmine hugged both her sisters.

* * *

About five weeks later, Jasmine's theory was proven to be correct. One morning, just after waking up at Jack's side, she began to feel dizzy and nauseous. She managed to make it out onto the main deck and over to the railing before she vomited and then collapsed to her knees.

"Jasmine!" Jack was at her side in an instant, even though he was clearly still exhausted. "Is something wrong?"

Jasmine couldn't answer due to her resulting sobs. She felt completely crushed and defeated. She was pregnant by Reeve.

"Love, listen to me," Jack took a seat next to her and simply held her hands. "Personally, it doesn't make a difference to me that you're pregnant by Reeve. That child will still be ours. I'll still be his or her daddy, just not in the physical sense. So don't worry about a thing. I'll do my absolute best to keep you safe and healthy and make sure that child is born safe and healthy as well."

"So, what's the verdict?" Holly and Lily, arm in arm, approached the couple.

"I'm pregnant," Jasmine sighed, but she managed a slight smile.

"Well," Holly began as she and Lily both sat down next to her, "after this baby is born to a wonderful set of parents, you and Jack can just try again and have your own baby."

"Holly's right, sweetie," Lily joined in. "You two are solid, and you'll be able to get through it."

"See, Jasmine?" Jack wrapped a comforting arm around her. "You should listen to them. Everything is going to be just fine."

* * *

"I…I apologize, sir, but she m-managed to get away," Reeve stuttered as he stood before Beckett, ragged and filthy.

"Damn it!" Beckett slammed his fist down on the desk. "I should have known better than to trust you! I entrusted you to bring a fugitive back to me, a _woman_ of all people, and you failed!"

"I-I'm sorry, sir!" Reeve begged. "I-I did m-my b-best!"

"Well your best obviously wasn't anywhere near good enough," Beckett smirked. "Next time, I'll find a man worthy of his position. As of now, you are stripped of your title as Admiral and sentenced to a lengthy prison stay."

"Why do I-I have to g-go to prison?" Reeve looked utterly scared.

"Well, for all I know, after how much quality time you spent with her, you probably just _let_ her go to spare her from justice." With that, Beckett made a small hand gesture, which signaled two guards to come into the room. In a matter of seconds, Reeve was handcuffed and escorted down to the brig.

* * *

End of Part One

**Author's Note**: Part Two will be up fairly soon. And in case any of you were wondering why Norrington's presence in Part One was a bit understated, just wait until Part Two. He and Holly will get more of the spotlight later on.


	16. The Wedding

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Sixteen**: The Wedding

Holly Gardener thought the day of her wedding to James Norrington would never come. After a long several months at sea with her sisters, she finally returned to Port Royal to get married. Originally, she and her sister Lily had planned to have their weddings together, but since the voyage, Lily's relationship with Cutler Beckett had literally fallen to pieces. The two were making efforts to repair it, but it was seemingly in vain, so Holly's wedding ceremony would stand on its own.

On the big day itself, Holly stood on a little white stool in her bedroom while Lily and Jasmine, her other sister, fussed over her dress. Although Jasmine officially faced charges of piracy, she had been given two days to prepare Holly for her wedding and be present at the ceremony before she would be forced to flee.

During the voyage, Jasmine had become pregnant by a certain Admiral Reeve during the time she spent as his captive. Although she was only about three months along and barely showing, she still had a very personal hatred towards Reeve and had vowed to hunt him down and kill him, with the help of Jack Sparrow, her true love.

"Ok, now what are we missing here?" Lily stepped back to admire their handiwork. So far, Holly was dressed in the most beautiful of white wedding gowns. It had a narrow but slightly full skirt that went all the way to her ankles, along with a bodice and sleeves made of the finest silk and antique lace. Her long red locks were pinned away from her face with a few curls hanging down to frame her delicate features.

"What do you mean, 'what are we missing?'" Jasmine, finally in an elegant blue dress instead of shabby sailor's clothes and with her hair done up, scoffed. "You've turned her into a masterpiece!"

"I know, I'm just so paranoid," Lily sighed. "But she _has_ to look absolutely perfect, or else I'll simply die."

"But if you add _too_ much, you'll overdo it," Jasmine pointed out. "I know! Get Father's best cufflinks."

With a smile and a quick nod, Lily ducked out of the room. Jasmine took a moment to get a private word with her sister. "Do you think she's okay?"

"Who, Lily?" Holly seemed a bit confused. Her head was tilted to the side a little.

"Yeah," Jasmine sighed. "She and Cutler are having tea every now and then and talking a little, but do you really think they'll be back together?"

"To be honest…" Holly struggled to say, "No. I don't think she'll ever forgive him for what he did to you. That, combined with the fact that he'll resume his pursuit of you after tomorrow, will probably keep them apart forever."

"I guess she's compensating by showering the two of us with attention," Jasmine laughed a bit. During the last few weeks, Lily had been clinging to her sisters almost to the point of annoyance, probably to get her mind off of her ex-fiancé.

"Here they are!" Lily announced as she reentered the room, holding a pair of jeweled silver cufflinks. Being that they had once belonged to the girls' late father, they were particularly special. "Now, let's see." Squinting, Lily moved the cufflinks around until she found the perfect position. With careful hands, she fastened them into two perfectly-sized loops in Holly's lace collar. "There!" she concluded proudly. "You're all ready!"

With Jasmine's help, Holly stepped down off the stool and retrieved her bouquet of white roses from the nearby side table. Together, the three girls ventured downstairs and out into the last of the evening sunlight, where they stepped into the family carriage and sped off towards the church. Holly was bubbling with excitement.

* * *

After what felt like an eternity for Holly, the carriage slowed to a stop outside the church. She stepped out and tried her best to look calm and collected as she and her sisters walked slowly into the atrium. Everything would start in just a few minutes, but Holly could no longer wait.

"Everyone's in position!" a neighbor hissed under her breath. "It's time!"

The double doors that led into the main part of the church were opened. The church itself, wreathed in pink and white roses and cherry blossoms, was breathtaking. Slowly and carefully, the wedding party began to advance one by one. Finally, ten steps after the flower girl, it was Holly's turn. Normally, Holly's father would have escorted her down the aisle, but now she had to go alone.

"You can do this!" she whispered to herself. She began to take small and timid steps down the aisle. With the Wedding March sounding from the organ, everyone's eyes were on her. She looked up towards the altar to see the tall and handsome figure of her fiancé, dressed in his best and looking stunning.

When she finally reached the minister, she got a quick side glance at James. When he smiled back, she felt perfectly at ease.

The minister began reciting passages from the Bible. Holly, wanting only to get to vows, itched with impatience.

Finally, the moment came. "Do you, Holly Rose Gardener, take Lieutenant James Norrington to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, through good times and bad, for richer or for poorer, till death do you part?"

"I do," Holly's face bore a shy smile.

"And, do you, Lieutenant James Norrington-"

All of a sudden, there was a loud booming noise in the distance. Someone ran to the window to see what was wrong. "Everybody, get down!" he screamed all of a sudden. Norrington had just enough time to pull Holly to the ground before a cannonball crashed through the wall and flew right past where they had just been standing. Screams echoed through the church. Everyone was panicking.

"James!" Holly cried. "What's going on?" She refused to release her tight grip on him. They had been through so much since their courtship, and she always felt like she couldn't be without him.

"I don't know, sweetheart," Norrington replied with tears spilling from his eyes.

"James, if anyone should be crying, it should be me!" Holly's eyes were watering as well. She felt crushed. Her wedding had been ruined.

"I'm so sorry, darling," Norrington whispered, holding her even tighter. Then he shouted, "Lily! Jasmine!"

Both girls emerged from their hiding places and rushed up to the altar. "I need you two to take Holly home and keep her safe," Norrington directed. "I need to go to the fort."

"No!" Holly gasped. "I can't leave you!"

"Sweetheart, you have to," he took her hands and held them to his heart. "I need you to be safe. Please."

Only when he leaned in and bestowed her with a quick kiss did she finally give in. "Come on!" Jasmine grabbed her hand and pulled her up. After wrapping her in a long black cloak so that her wedding dress wouldn't get ruined, she and Lily led Holly back out to the carriage.

"Hurry! Take us home!" Lily shouted to the driver. Once they were all situated inside, the carriage took off as fast as the horses would go. The girls all held each other's hands, frozen with fear. Holly looked stiff and had a look of pure fear etched on her face.

"Don't worry, sweetie," Jasmine tucked Holly's head into the crook of her neck. "We won't let anything happen to you."

"Hey, you know what?" Lily had an idea.

"What?" Holly didn't seem too interested.

"These pirates that ruined your wedding," Lily began, "We're going to hunt them down and bring them to justice. All three of us, together." Holly's sad expression gradually became a smile.

"They won't get away with this," added Jasmine. "I promise."

* * *

**Author's Note**: who might these pirates be? …Well, we might be seeing our villain again very soon…


	17. Couples Therapy

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Seventeen**: Couples Therapy

It wasn't until past midnight when the attack finally ended. The girls all gathered in the sitting room of Norrington's mansion to decide what to do.

"Do we have any idea who they are?" Lily folded her hands and leaned forward to rest her elbows on the coffee table.

"There's been a rumor going around that the former Admiral Reeve has turned to piracy," answered Norrington. "It could very well be him."

"Well, there's only one thing we can do about it," Jasmine sighed.

"What's that?" Holly asked. She was gently cradled in Norrington's arms, breathing deeply to wear off the shock. She was still wearing her wedding dress, and her face still bore the wet streaks from her tears.

"We go after them," Jasmine leaned back. "We hunt them down and don't stop until they're all dead."

"When would we leave?" Holly sighed. She seemed utterly exhausted from all the stress of the last several hours.

"Tomorrow," Lily stated. "We can't let them slip away."

"I say we split up," Jasmine suggested.

"Good idea," Lily agreed. "I take the _Dauntless_ with Cutler, Holly and James take the _Interceptor_, and Jasmine and Jack take the _Pearl_."

"Why would we have to be separated?" asked Holly.

"So that we'd have a good lead in three different directions," replied Jasmine. "That way, we can catch up to them as quickly as possible."

* * *

When the day came when Jasmine would be returned to the _Pearl_, she and Holly and Lily finalized their preparations for the voyage. The girls helped prepare the _Dauntless_ and the _Interceptor_, as well as the other three ships, each of which would be following one of the leads to provide extra coverage.

Right around mid-afternoon, the _Pearl_ appeared on the horizon. Jasmine rushed to the railing, absolutely bursting with joy. Even though she had only been away from Jack for a couple days, it had felt like an eternity. As the ship drew closer and closer, she climbed down into a rowboat and ventured out into the harbor.

"Ahoy, young missy!" Jack shouted playfully from his spot in the rigging. "Welcome aboard!"

Smiling, Jasmine climbed aboard. "Hey, Jack!" She greeted him with a loving hug and kiss.

"How's my sweetheart?" Jack held Jasmine at arm's length. "How's the baby?" He glanced down at her womb.

"Oh, the baby's okay," Jasmine smiled, laying a hand on her belly. "And aside from vomiting my guts out every morning, I'm alright."

"Come here," Jack gently took her face in his hands and gave her a long, soft kiss. "You grow more beautiful to me every day now. You're carrying a child."

"_Our_ child, Jack," Jasmine reminded him.

"That's the thing, love," Jack sighed. "It's not my child. It's yours and Reeve's."

"What are you saying, Jack?" Jasmine was starting to feel a little nervous.

"Let's go talk in the cabin," Jack took her hand and led her into the captain's quarters. Once he had taken a long swig from a bottle of rum on his desk, he continued, "I don't feel like a father, Jasmine. I did not help you conceive this child. Reeve did. The seed of the devil himself has been planted inside you."

"But…" Jasmine felt crushed. "You told me once that it didn't make a difference whether or not the child was actually yours."

"I know, love," sighed Jack. "I know."

"When this baby is born, he or she _will_ be ours," Jasmine reached over, took his hand, and held it to her womb. "And although he may have been involved in my conception, Reeve is _not_ the baby's father. You are, Jack."

"I love you, Jasmine," Jack pulled her to him and hugged her gently. "And I love this baby…_our_ baby."

* * *

"You look lovely," Beckett smiled as he clipped a ruby pendant around Lily's neck. It had been his first engagement gift to her, but she hadn't worn it since their separation.

"Thank you," she whispered back, smiling at her reflection in the mirror.

"I'm sorry things didn't work out for us," Beckett sighed, leading her over to the window.

"So am I," sighed Lily. She gazed sadly out at the ocean. In her heart she still loved Beckett, but she wasn't anywhere near certain if she wanted to resume their previous relationship. "But that might change someday. I think I might be ready to give you another chance."

"Are you sure?" Beckett smiled.

"I think so," Lily smiled in return. Just as she began to lean in, there was a knock at the door. Two officers came in.

"Lord Beckett, your afternoon tea is ready," one of the officers announced. Both of them bowed before making way for the two servants who came in to prepare the tea table. Once Lily and Beckett were alone again, they took their seats.

"How is your sister?" Beckett asked politely.

"Which one?" Lily laughed a little bit as she poured milk into her tea.

"Jasmine."

"I'm surprised," said Lily. "You usually have quite the low opinion of her."

"She's family," Beckett smiled. "Anyway, how is she?"

"Well, she's about three months along," Lily replied, taking a small sip. "But otherwise, she and Jack and the baby are all fine."

"That's good," said Beckett. Then, he put down his teacup and stood up. He began to pace back and forth across the cabin.

"Is something wrong?" Lily asked, getting the slightest bit worried.

"Just thinking," he replied in a distant voice.

Unconvinced, Lily stood up and approached him. She took his hands and held them gently. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"You are," he whispered back. "Always. I love you, Lily."

Smiling, Lily pulled him into a gentle kiss. They had not kissed in months, and now it felt like their very first. Not wanting to let go, Lily pulled him closer and kissed him more urgently. She wanted to hold him forever.

* * *

As the ships pulled out of the harbor, Holly stood at the window of the cabin she shared with Norrington, staring blankly out at the ocean. When she wasn't crying, she completely distanced herself from everyone else, including her fiancé.

"Holly?" Norrington came into the cabin. When he noticed her at the window, he sighed. "Are you alright?"

Sighing, Holly shook her head. Norrington came up behind her and wrapped her up inside a warm hug. He leaned down and placed a few delicate kisses on her neck. When he let go, he plucked a daisy from the vase of flowers by the window and tucked it into her hair.

"You look lovely," he sighed happily. "But I know something's on your mind. Tell me what's wrong."

"Why did our wedding have to be ruined?" Holly burst out. "We waited so long for it when we were out at sea, and as soon as it finally arrives, it gets ruined!"

"Sweetheart, all that matters is that we're still together," Norrington reassured her. "As far as I'm concerned, we're as good as married already, even without a ceremony." He then took her face in his hands and gave her lips a quick peck. "The only advice I can give is for you to just be patient. Our wedding will come before you know it."

"Thanks, James," Holly sighed. She did manage a smile when Norrington kissed her forehead. "I'm just anxious to start calling you my husband instead of just my fiancé."

"You and me both," Norrington smiled.

After one more kiss, Holly decided to change the subject. "Do we have any idea yet about the pirates?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we do," replied Norrington. He was starting to sound excited. "We're near one hundred percent certain that Reeve is behind the attacks." When Holly's eyebrows rose in curiosity, he continued. "After he was removed from his naval post, he returned to England, where he committed a series of crimes. He was captured and sentenced to several years in prison, but he escaped to sea. He left a note in his prison cell that said 'I swear on my life to have the heads of Cutler Beckett and Jasmine Gardener.'"

"Now I have another reason to hunt down that son of a bitch, as if my previous ones weren't enough," Holly sighed. "He's after Jasmine…again, might I point out."

"We'll catch him," Norrington promised. "And I'll do everything in my power to make sure Jasmine and the baby are kept safe and sound."

"We'll catch him together," Holly took his hand.

"Together," Norrington echoed.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Looks like Jasmine might be headed for trouble, along with Beckett and Lily…

By the way, just to give you guys a heads-up, starting on July 3rd, I'll be away at camp for almost a month, and I'll only be home on the weekends, so it's unlikely that I'll be able to update during that time frame. Just keep your fingers crossed!


	18. Pregnancy Problems

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Eighteen**: Pregnancy Problems

About two weeks after its departure from Port Royal, the _Pearl_ docked in Tortuga for a few days. One night, Jack and Jasmine were at a bar. Jack had his usual few mugs of rum while Jasmine just sat and admired his high tolerance for alcohol.

"Three mugs and you're not even tipsy," she observed, shaking her head and smiling. "You never fail to surprise me, Jack."

"And _you_ never fail to surprise _me_ with how well this pregnancy has been going," Jack grinned, showing his several metal teeth. "Not once have I heard you complain about morning sickness, back pain, or any other number of things."

"Not since the start of this voyage," Jasmine sighed happily. "Hey, maybe it's a sign. Maybe this child truly is meant to be yours." For a little while, the two laughed together until Jack sighed and got a distant and sad look in his eyes.

Jasmine sighed again, this time in frustration. "Don't start that with me again, Jack. I thought we talked about it."

"Start what?" Jack was a little confused. Maybe the alcohol was starting to set in.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about, Jack," Jasmine was doing her best to stay calm.

"Jasmine, why can't you just accept it?" Jack complained. "I am not that baby's father. Reeve is. There is absolutely nothing that can change that."

"For God's sake, Jack!" Jasmine was on her feet in an instant. "Even if the child is not physically yours, you can still _love_ him or her like a father would! _I_ love my child, and obviously you don't. That hurts, Jack. It really does."

"Well, I'm sorry, Jasmine, but I just wouldn't feel like a true father unless we had a child of our own," Jack stood up as well. His voice had finally risen.

Without another word, Jasmine sighed, turned on her heel, and strode out of the bar. Within seconds, she disappeared into the never-ending crowds that flooded the streets. She had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that her eyes were filling with tears and she had to get away from Jack, if only for a few minutes. Finally, she came across a dark and narrow alley. She sank to her knees against the cold stone wall and cried her eyes out. Along the way, she reached down and held her womb tightly, as if to ensure the baby that everything would be alright.

"Well, what have we here?" a snarling voice startled Jasmine. She stood up quickly to face a smirking, slimy, evil-looking man towering over her.

"Wh-what do you want?" Jasmine stuttered. She held her womb protectively.

"Ah, a pregnant lass, I see," said the man. Jasmine was disgusted when she noticed the saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth. "I'll be over right quick, I promise." Before Jasmine knew what was happening, she received a sharp punch right between her legs. The pain shot through her womb like a lightning bolt, and she instantly began to worry about the baby. As her knees began to weaken, she felt the man forcing himself on her. She kicked and punched and screamed, but she doubted that anyone could hear her over the commotion.

Just when she thought the pain and helplessness couldn't get any worse, she suddenly found herself dropped to her knees. Her attacker was bloodied and on the ground. She looked up to see a new man kneeling in front of her.

"Thank you!" she gasped, just before another wave of pain hit her and she doubled over again. The man caught her in his arms and held her protectively as she cried. Then she managed to get a good look at him.

Jasmine would have recognized that face anywhere.

"Jack," she choked out. "Jack! Oh, my God, I'm so sorry!" Jasmine was utterly hysterical.

"We need to get you back to the _Pearl_." Jack lifted her effortlessly into his arms. Although she was still shaken up from their fight, she clung to him like a small child and cried her eyes out.

"I love you, Jack," she whispered when she managed to catch her breath.

Jack replied with a smile and a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, too."

* * *

Back on the _Dauntless_, it had been at least a month since Lily and Beckett had spoken. She had woken up in bed with him, and the whole situation had completely embarrassed her. Now, she kept her distance from him as much as possible. While it was true that she loved him, she knew the incident could cause a tremendous scandal if anyone found out.

However, about three and a half weeks into their cold silence, Lily felt a change in herself. She began to vomit almost every morning, and she was getting strange sensations in her womb.

"Oh, God," she whispered to herself as she reached down and clutched her belly. She instantly felt the morning sun burning ten times hotter. Right away, she rushed down to Beckett's cabin and knocked on the door.

"Come in," he called from inside. Lily timidly opened the door and took a frightened step inside. "I thought you weren't speaking to me," he said coldly.

Lily's face instantly took on a painful expression. His words and cold tone of voice cut her right through to the bone. "I…I need to tell you something." He beckoned her forward to his desk, where he was studying a detailed map of the Caribbean. "Okay, here goes." She took a deep breath. "I think I'm pregnant!" she burst out. Tears were beginning to gather in her eyes.

"What?" Beckett's full attention was captured. He had a look of surprise and fright in his eyes. Slowly, he stood up and approached her.

"You heard me," Lily choked out.

"We're going to have a child," he whispered, mostly to himself.

"Yes," Lily carefully took one of his hands. Then she pulled him into a gentle hug. "What are we going to do? I'm pregnant, but we're not married. Think of the scandal."

"Well, then, there's only one thing we can do," Beckett smiled. He then reached into his pocket, pulled out a small velvet box, and got down on one knee. "Lily Rose Gardener, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

"Of course," Lily whispered. "Of course I will!"

* * *

"Jasmine, are you sure you're alright?" Jack was panicking. He had safely tucked Jasmine into bed back in their cabin on the _Pearl_.

"Jack, I've said this _at least_ four or five times now," Jasmine laughed. "I'm _fine_."

"But the baby…" Jack's voice trailed off.

"Why do you suddenly care about the baby?" Jasmine's voice was as hard as steel. She laid a protective hand over her womb.

"Your yelling at me last night gave me a bit of a revelation," Jack smiled and sat down beside her on the bed.

"Well, that's good," Jasmine sighed happily as she dropped her head onto his shoulder. Then she realized something. "You know…that's the first fight we've ever really had."

"I know, love," Jack sighed. "But it's normal for couples to fight. I still love you."

"Even if we fight sometimes?" Jasmine looked up into his eyes.

"Even if we fight sometimes," Jack reassured her with a kiss.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Oh, goodness…now Lily's pregnant too. Does she know what she's getting herself into? We'll just have to wait and see…


	19. First Showdown

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Nineteen**: First Showdown

It was a warm Caribbean morning when the _Pearl_ arrived at a small island. A small party, led by Jasmine, was sent to gather fresh water while a larger party, led by Jack, was sent to patrol the shoreline. However, when Jasmine and her team arrived at the edge of a clearing in the woods, they were met by opposition.

"Reeve," Jasmine snarled. Before her stood the disheveled image of a formerly glorious admiral.

"Hello, Miss Gardener," Reeve smirked and bowed mockingly. Jasmine instantly drew her sword. "Now, now," Reeve smiled as he drew his own sword. "Do you really think it's a good idea to handle a sword in your _delicate_ condition?" he gestured at Jasmine's growing womb. She was now roughly four months along and an obvious baby bump had formed in her lower belly.

"I'm not afraid of you, you son of a bitch," Jasmine snapped. As Reeve stepped closer, she spat at his feet.

"Might I inquire as to who the father of this child is?" Reeve and Jasmine began walking circles around each other, never breaking the vicious glares they both bore in their eyes. "It's not Jack, is it? You could do so much better than that."

"Shut up!" Jasmine shrieked, landing a hard punch against Reeve's jawbone. As he staggered back, clutching his face, she continued, "If you _must_ know, you are the father of my child."

"Oh, really?" Reeve gave an evil smirk. "That must be _destroying_ your dear Captain Sparrow."

"Enough!" Jasmine screamed. With that, she launched herself into a duel. Reeve's crew emerged from the trees and entangled themselves with Jasmine's party.

"This really isn't the best idea, Miss Jasmine!" Reeve shouted over the commotion.

"Oh? Why not?" Jasmine shouted back as she ducked around him.

"You're not only risking your own life but the life of your child as well!" said Reeve.

"You think you're going to beat me?" Jasmine laughed.

"I beat you once before! I can do it again!" Reeve challenged.

"Oh, really?" a new voice joined them. Jasmine turned to see Jack, sword drawn, with a vicious snarl on his face, although he wasn't accompanied by his crew. "You threaten my girl, and you deal with me."

Jasmine backed off as the dueling shifted to Reeve and Jack. That was when Jasmine noticed another group approaching the battle from the shore. "That can't be…" Jasmine's voice trailed off. "Holly!" she shrieked as she ran off to greet her sister.

"Jasmine!" Holly caught her sister in a fierce hug. "We only stopped for fresh water. Are you alright?"

"Reeve's here!" Jasmine gasped. Even though she was normally confident in battle, facing Reeve would never fail to completely frighten her.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Holly and Norrington both drew their swords and took off running towards the battle, followed by a portion of their crew. Jasmine followed close at their heels until she had rejoined Jack. Alone, she had little hope against Reeve, but if she was with Jack, she couldn't be stopped.

"You should just give up while you're still alive!" Jasmine taunted. Reeve's eyes had taken on a look of desperation and helplessness. He had gained the use of another sword from one of his dead crewmembers, but it wasn't exactly about to save his life.

Coincidentally, right after Jasmine's taunting jab, Reeve somehow managed to punch Jack across the face, knocking him unconscious. With one more swift motion, he knocked Jasmine's sword from her hands. She collapsed to her knees and fell back against a tree.

"No," she choked out in a whisper as Reeve's sword came close to her face. She was powerless. Frozen with fear, she found that she couldn't move.

Somehow, Reeve couldn't seem to strike the death blow. His hand shook, and eventually his sword dropped to the ground. He then knelt down in front of her. She was surprised to see tears dripping from his eyes. He carefully reached out and laid a gentle hand over her womb.

"Not so fast!" Norrington's voice broke in. Within seconds, Reeve was restrained and bound in a heavy set of iron shackles. He never took his eyes off Jasmine.

"Jasmine!" Holly and Jack both called out. They were at her side in an instant, with Jack clutching his head in pain.

Without a word, Jasmine pulled Jack into a fierce embrace. Her body shook with heavy sobs.

"There, there," Jack whispered. "It's all over."

Once Jasmine managed to let go of Jack, she reached over and hugged Holly.

"Reeve can't get to you now, sweetie," Holly assured her.

After a final hug from Jack, Jasmine managed to reduce her sobs to simple deep breathing. Jack gently took her into his arms and carried her down to the beach, where he set her gently into one of the rowboats.

"Jasmine?" Norrington approached her. When she looked up, he stated, "Reeve and his crew will be locked into the brig of the _Interceptor_. Holly and I will bring them back to Port Royal for immediate execution."

"Alright," Jasmine sighed happily. She felt relieved, knowing that the whole ordeal would soon be over. With that, Norrington, Holly, and the crew of the _Interceptor_ boarded their rowboats and rowed away from the island.

Once the crew of the _Pearl_ had filled their water barrels and jugs, they joined Jack and Jasmine back on the ship. Once they had sunken Reeve's ship, they took off, intending to meet up with the _Dauntless_ and inform them of the change of plans.

"Do you really think it's all over?" Jasmine asked as she leaned on the railing, gazing out at the island.

"Darling, you never know with Reeve," Jack sighed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "All we can do is hope and pray."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Don't get too comfortable yet…I titled this chapter _First_ Showdown for a reason.


	20. The Escape

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty**: The Escape

"In you go," Norrington snapped as he shoved Reeve into a dank cell in the _Interceptor_'s brig. Holly stood at his side. "I hope you enjoy contemplating your coming execution." With that, he locked the door and strode out, but Holly remained.

"Did you really think you would win that battle?" Holly challenged while folding her arms across her chest.

"To tell you the truth, I did," Reeve smirked. "I've bested you and your sisters once before, so I just assumed I could do it again."

"Do you have _any_ idea how much stress you've created?" Holly stepped forward and clenched the bars in her tight fists. "You almost _killed_ Jasmine and her baby!"

"That baby is as much mine as it is Jasmine's," Reeve pointed out. "And I never intended to kill her."

"Then what _did_ you intend to do?" Holly's anger was rising. "Did you intend to kidnap her for another series of rape, and possibly force her to marry you?"

"No," Reeve sighed.

"Alright," Holly stepped back and leaned up against a pole. "Then what did you intend to do?" she asked calmly.

"I…" Reeve's voice trailed off.

"You what?" Holly prodded.

"I love her," Reeve managed in a whisper that Holly could barely hear.

Holly's mouth dropped open. "Well, I wasn't expecting _that_, I can assure you. Do you think she loves you back?"

"I doubt it," Reeve scoffed. "After what I did to her?"

"So don't even _think_ about getting your hopes up," Holly smirked. "So, I guess your upcoming execution means that she's safe now."

"Her, yes," Reeve admitted. Then he smirked as well.

"But…?" Holly was a little worried. Reeve's expression sent a chill down her spine.

"Remember…it's not only your sister I was after," Reeve looked absolutely smug.

"Beckett," Holly realized. She brought a hand to her lips. Reeve nodded slowly. "But how?" Holly was flustered. "How will he be in danger when you're dead?"

"I have other ships and other crews, Miss Gardener," Reeve seemed to be gaining the upper hand. "My being dead will only subtract a trivial number of men from my fleet."

"You're lying," Holly's voice shook a little. She instantly feared for Lily. If Beckett was in danger, then that meant Lily would also be.

"I don't lie, Miss Gardener," Reeve smiled and shook his head.

"Now you listen to me!" Holly drew a dagger from her belt and held it to his throat. "_One_ more word and I'll slit your throat right here!" When Reeve fell silent, she smirked and sheathed the dagger. After spitting in his face, she turned and ran back up the stairs.

* * *

"This is getting to be worse than we thought," Holly sighed. She and Norrington were in their cabin, each having a glass of wine. Norrington was plotting their intended course on a series of maps.

"How so?" he asked calmly.

"He and I had a little conversation last night when you left the brig," said Holly.

"What did he say?" Norrington's full attention was captured.

"He doesn't just possess that one ship, James," Holly said darkly. "He has an entire fleet. Killing him and his crew would only knock a trivial number of men from the roster."

"Oh, dear Lord," Norrington sighed, taking Holly's hands.

"And not only that, he's after Beckett as well," Holly added. "Which means that Lily's life is in danger."

"We can get her away," Norrington decided.

"That's not likely to work, James," Holly sighed. "Lily loves him, whether she chooses to admit it or not. She's not just going to leave him when his life is in danger."

"Then I guess the only thing we can do is rejoin them and do our best to protect them," Norrington concluded. He then reassured her with a small kiss.

"You know what I like about you, James?" Holly smiled and sighed happily as she loosely coiled her arms around his neck.

"What?" Norrington leaned forward so their foreheads touched.

"You always make me feel safe," replied Holly. She then rested her head on his shoulder as his arms coiled around her. "I love you."

* * *

As Holly was walking down to the brig, well past midnight, to count the prisoners and make sure none had escaped, she heard a sound. As she crept closer to the brig, she could distinguish the sound of a key turning inside a lock. She then quickened her pace to see what was going on.

What she found was Reeve, unlocking the door to his own cell.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" Holly crossed her arms and gave him a hard glare.

"I'm getting the hell out of here," Reeve replied as he finally got the door open.

"Might I ask how you attained those keys?" Holly took a step back, feeling a little uncomfortable. The rest of the prisoners were all staring at her.

"I bribed one of the guards," Reeve smirked, speaking as if the act had been completely effortless. "Now, if you'd please go away and let me free my crew…" He didn't finish his sentence.

"We'll see about that." Before Holly had finished speaking, she had already turned to dash back up the stairs. However, Reeve somehow managed to stop her, with one hand covering her mouth and the other hand beginning to clench around her neck.

Tears dripped from Holly's eyes. She felt Reeve's hot breath on her neck, which only made her cry harder.

"Now," Reeve snarled, "I'll let you live, but only if you swear on your _life_ to let me get off this ship _with_ my crew."

Holly, wanting only to live and get back to Norrington, nodded as best she could under Reeve's tight grasp. "Good," Reeve smirked as he slowly released his grip. Holly, knowing that Reeve could easily overpower her, obeyed his command and stood back, watching helplessly as he unlocked the cells of his crewmates and they filed up the stairs. Each one either punched her or spit in her face, but she stood perfectly still. Reeve was the last one to pass Holly.

"Remember…_not_ a _word_," he snarled, shoving her up against the wall. Holly gave another shaky nod. She sighed with relief when he reached the top of the stairs, but she still remained still. She shuddered when she heard the stifled screams as the night watchmen were slaughtered. Then she heard the sound of a few rowboats lowering into the water. When she was absolutely certain that they had gotten away, she broke into a run and went straight back to Norrington's cabin.

"James!" she shrieked when she got through the doors. In an instant, he shot upright from where he lay in bed, his eyes wide open in shock. Once he saw Holly's look of pure fright and her tearstained face, he rushed over and pulled her into a safe embrace.

"My dear, what has happened?" he panicked while kissing her face several times. Then he got a look at her injuries. One eyelid was drooping, as if it couldn't stay open, while the rest of her face bore bruises and her nose and lips bled.

Holly let out a long sob and buried her face in Norrington's chest. Shaking with fear and anxiety, he held her close, as if he would never let her go. "Darling, please tell me what happened." He sounded like he was about to cry.

"They…" Holly choked out between sobs. "They got away!"

"Dear Lord," Norrington sighed. "They did this to you?"

Holly could only manage to nod against his chest before succumbing to another round of sobs. "R-Reeve is s-such a m-m-monster!" she cried.

"There, there, sweetheart," Norrington whispered as he gently rubbed her back. "At least you're with me now."

"I love you so much," Holly finally stopped crying and took slow, deep breaths. She clenched Norrington's shirt in her fists.

"I love you, too, Miss Gardener," Norrington smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"Grr," said Holly playfully, beginning to cheer up. "I want to be Mrs. Norrington!"

Norrington began to laugh. "You will be as soon as humanly possible." After a pause, he added, "Oh, and there's something I have not yet told you."

"Hmm?" Holly coaxed, still with her head on his chest.

"I've brought a priest along for the voyage," Norrington answered. "He will marry us when you're ready."

"James, that's wonderful!" Holly finally raised her head so she could kiss his cheek.

"There's more," Norrington continued. "I even had your wedding dress, veil, and jewelry carefully packed up and brought along with us."

Holly gave a squeal of delight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She then pulled him in for a loving kiss.

"I had a feeling that would cheer you up," Norrington nuzzled her neck a little. "And remember: when you're ready, you'll be Mrs. Norrington before you know it."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Aww, I'm glad I was able to end this chapter on a happy note! Anyway, it looks like Jasmine, Holly, and Norrington are all okay for the time being, but we'll have to check up on Lily and Beckett next…


	21. Pregnancy Secrets and Career Planning

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty-One**: Pregnancy Secrets and Career Planning

Lily woke up to a beautiful morning sunshine peeking through the window and warming her face. Unfortunately, rather than being peaceful and happy, she instantly felt another wave of nausea and had to run outside to the railing and go through her usual morning sickness routine. Beckett was at her side in a matter of minutes, rubbing her back gently until the ordeal was over.

"I should be used to this by now," Lily sighed. Every time she threw up, she was overcome with exhaustion and was forced to sit down on the deck. This time, however, her fiancé secured an arm around her waist and led her back to the cabin, where he sat her down in a comfortable chair and laid a cool, wet cloth over her forehead.

Lily sighed happily. "Thank you, darling," she whispered with a smile.

"Anything for you," Beckett replied simply before dropping a kiss onto the top of her head. "You are my dream, my lifeblood, and my greatest desire."

"I never thought you to be a man of poetry, Cutler Beckett," Lily smiled.

"Those words come from my own heart, however cold many people believe it to be," Beckett leaned down and kissed her cheek. However, all he got in response from Lily was a distracted sigh. "What's wrong?" he asked with genuine concern.

"I have something to tell you," Lily confessed. "It is something I have never told a single living soul since I learned of it during my childhood."

"I'm listening," Beckett took a seat in the chair next to her and took her hand gently.

"When I was twelve, my mother informed me of a tragic series of events," Lily began. "She explained to me that I should have had two older brothers and an older sister. They all died during the pregnancies and were stillborn. After that, she was terrified to have any more children and almost stopped trying. Finally, she managed to give birth to Holly, Jasmine, and me, and by the grace of God we all survived, despite the fact that we were born early. After that, her body would not bear any more children. The sad thing is that she never told this to Holly or Jasmine. She only told me, and it was while she was lying on her deathbed." Starting to get choked up, Lily took a deep breath and continued. "Ever since then, I've been completely terrified of becoming pregnant. After learning of the difficulties my own mother faced while trying to bear children, I've so scared that I would face those same difficulties. I don't want to lose my children like she did."

"Sweetheart," Beckett reached over, took her other hand as well, and kissed them both. "While I cannot simply assure you that our child will be born safe and healthy, I can assure you that I will always be here for you and that I love you."

"Thank you," Lily managed a tearful smile. "It's just that every round of morning sickness or pain or anything else does nothing but worry me." Then she sighed again. "My fear and anxiety were the main reason why I shunned you for so long after we were in bed together. I foolishly thought that if I ignored you and refused to believe any of it, the whole situation would just disappear as if I had woken up after a dream."

"Well, all things aside, it was a beautiful night, if I do say so myself," Beckett smiled. "And I really don't think you should be so scared about your situation. Every pregnancy has its risks, but you should think of it as a chance to start a family, a healthy family, and live a more complete life. And…you should think of it as an event that will bring us closer."

"Are you suggesting that we are not already close enough?" Lily folded her arms and pretended to be offended.

"No, absolutely not," Beckett reassured her with a kiss. As he secured a hand around her neck to deepen the kiss, she pulled away.

"Ugh!" she groaned. "I wish I could stop thinking about it!"

"What?" Beckett looked both hurt and concerned.

"I just can't stop remembering your vendetta against Jasmine!" Lily burst out all of a sudden.

"Sweetheart," Beckett sighed. "I can't change what has already happened, but I can tell you this: my love for you is greater than any other facet of my life. Even if, according to law, Jasmine is a criminal, sending her to the gallows would be equivalent to sending my own sister to the gallows."

Lily sighed with relief. She was happy he felt that way. Throughout the duration of hers and her sisters' relationships, she always wondered how the three men would get along as brothers-in-law.

"I guess I'm just overreacting," Lily admitted. "Pregnancy does have its ups and downs."

"Just promise me you'll try not to worry about the baby?" Beckett leaned down and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Of course," Lily smiled.

"Good," Beckett concluded with a kiss.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Norrington asked as he prepared a cold, wet compress for Holly's bruises.

"My face hurts," Holly complained. Norrington laughed a bit and then placed the compress over a bruise on her cheekbone. To Holly, a simple wet cloth did a world of good to ease the pain throughout the delicate skin of her face.

"Are you alright from last night?" he inquired with deep concern in his voice.

"No," Holly admitted with a heavy sigh. "It's just so frustrating that he's managed to best Jasmine twice and now me. He's almost unstoppable."

"We would need an armada to take him down for good," said Norrington.

"Could we send out for help?" Holly suggested.

"Yes," Norrington nodded. "Over in England, the King is preparing a special fleet for us to use against Reeve."

"How many ships?" Holly was excited.

"At least a dozen," Norrington smiled. "We'll get to him, Holly. I promise. Reeve will be caught and executed just like every pirate we've dealt with in the past."

Holly smiled again, her excitement continuing to grow.

"I've never seen you so excited about catching pirates before," Norrington laughed while taking her hands.

"I have a very personal hatred towards that man," Holly admitted. "First, he ruins out wedding. Then, he threatens the lives of my sister and a man I look to as a brother. Above all, Jasmine's pregnancy resulted from forced rape. With all of that put together, I'll gladly stand and watched as he is hung by the neck until dead."

"Well, when the fleet is ready for our use, I will make sure we have personal command over a number of the ships," Norrington stated. "Considering your enthusiasm for this mission."

"I can only imagine the relief I will surely feel when he is finally brought to justice," Holly sighed.

"I can assure you that all of us are feeling that way, maybe not as strong as you are, but we still feel it," Norrington reassured her by kissing her hand.

"But I still think our first course of action should be to locate Lily and Beckett and warn them of Reeve's forces," Holly reminded him.

"Of course," said Norrington. "I have a detailed map of their intended course. We'll simply follow that until we reach them."

"Good," Holly nodded. Then she smiled. "We sure do have a remarkable team, don't we?" When Norrington gestured her to continue, she did. "We've got Jasmine and Jack, who probably make up the most challenging pirate force in the Caribbean. We've got Lily and Beckett, who hold a considerable amount of authority over the rule of the oceans. Finally, we've got you and me, who will never back down or give up."

"I would consider that quite remarkable," Norrington laughed a bit. "I'm so proud of you, Holly."

"And why would that be?" Holly had a smug grin on her face.

"You've essentially taken charge of a very complex, difficult, and dangerous situation," he praised. "To be honest, when we were first in courtship, I thought you would be the kind of lady that stayed at home to take care of children. I never expected you to be a woman of the sea, hunting pirates with the obvious passion you are showing."

"I guess I've found my life's purpose," said Holly.

"You know, I just thought of something," said Norrington. Holly raised one eyebrow, gesturing for him to continue. "I could give you a position as a privateer under the employment of the Empire."

"I was actually wondering about that myself," said Holly. "I just wonder how Jack and Jasmine would take that. They're not exactly the most law-abiding people."

"They're family," said Norrington. "Although, as a privateer, you would be attacking military enemies of the Crown, rather than pirates."

"But enemies of the Crown are still deserving of justice," Holly pointed out.

"I'll talk to my commanding officers as soon as possible," Norrington concluded. "Your main focus would most likely be the Spanish trading vessels that sail these waters." Then he gave her another proud smile. "You will be doing your mother nation a world of good, if you choose this path. Not to mention, you would probably one of very few, if any, women in that field of work."

Holly felt completely drowned in praise and personal pride. "As long as you're at my side, I have no doubt that I could do it."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Let's all hope that Lily has a safe pregnancy and delivery! Also, good luck to Holly on her upcoming career path!


	22. Holly's Ascension

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty-Two**: Holly's Ascension

"How do I look?" Holly asked. She and Norrington had returned to Port Royal to join the King's fleet. Holly would be having a meeting with the thirteen other captains to plan their course of action. A fourteenth ship was brought along, which would be given to her.

"You look very official," Norrington stated proudly.

With a satisfied smile, Holly turned to the mirror to get a good look at herself. She was dressed in a knee-length brown jacket with gold buttons and trim, a pair of narrow black pants tucked into black boots, a wide red leather belt with her sword, pistol, and dagger attached, and a ruffled white blouse tucked into her pants. She had completed her look by tying her long red curls into a low ponytail and adding a tassled black tricorn hat.

After taking a few deep breaths, Holly emerged into the bright Caribbean sunshine, with her fiancé at her side. The two of them got onto one of the _Interceptor_'s rowboats and rowed over to Holly's new ship, the _Ocean's Hero_. Once they climbed aboard, they strode purposefully into the beautifully decorated meeting room. Thirteen well-dressed naval officers were already seated at the large oval-shaped oak table, talking politely with one another.

Holly and Norrington took their seats at the two remaining chairs. Holly folded her hands on the freshly polished words and addressed the group. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. I would like to start with each of us introducing ourselves. I am Captain Holly Gardener of the _Ocean's Hero_."

Norrington was next. "Lieutenant James Norrington of the _Interceptor_." The rest of the group then spoke one by one.

"Admiral William Edmundson of the _Immaculate_."

"Commodore Edward Greene of the _Silver Star_."

"Captain Benjamin Liner of the _Elizabethan_."

"Captain Patrick McAdams of the _Corona_."

"Commodore Adam Wright of the _Ruby Dawn_."

"Commander Joseph Killian of the _Ocean's Revenge_."

"Captain George Preston of the _Assassin_."

"Commander Frederick Mason of the _Ocean's Liberty_."

"Lieutenant Eric Tracer of the _Lady Luck_."

"Lieutenant-Commander Vincent Douglas of the _Black Dragon_."

"Commodore Richard Dennis of the _Eagle_."

"Captain Arnold Samson of the _Black Wolf_."

"Lieutenant Winston Smith of the _Arabian_."

Making sure to sit up perfectly straight, Holly addressed her new companions. "Now, I'm sure each of you have been briefed on our current situation. We are after the former Admiral Reeve. He has assembled an unknown number of ships with a focus on taking the life of Lord Cutler Beckett. My sisters and I have dealt with Reeve several times already, and he is not to be underestimated. By himself, he is a very skilled fighter. In a group, he is almost unstoppable. A few weeks ago, Lieutenant Norrington and I confronted Reeve and managed to capture him, but he soon escaped. His escape makes his forces that much stronger. That is why we have gathered you all here today. He needs to be stopped before he kills one of the East India Trading Company's most powerful and influential agents."

"Might I ask why he is after Lord Beckett?" Tracer spoke up.

"Reeve was originally hired by Beckett to aid him in the search of my sister, Jasmine Gardener, who had been kidnapped by pirates. Soon, he began his own personal vendetta against her. He managed to capture Jasmine and rape her several times. When we finally managed to rescue her, Beckett stripped him of his ranking and sentenced him to a term in prison. When Reeve escaped, he left a note stating that he would not rest until he had killed both Beckett and Jasmine."

"What will be our first step in this process?" Liner asked.

"Our first course of action will be to locate Beckett and keep him guarded," Holly answered. After taking a deep breath, she continued. "Now, I am aware of the rankings you all possess in the Royal Navy. However, this not just a war with the Spanish. This is a war with a former admiral and his powerful forces. He is a considerable threat to innocent life. Therefore, we will all work as a team. All decisions will be made as part of a group effort. None of you is more powerful than any other. When all of this is over, your rankings will come back into play. For now, you are equals."

"For the most part, the ships will stay together as a group," Norrington began. "However, smaller groups will be sent ahead to clear our path and deal with any immediate threats. The _Ocean's Hero_ will be our flagship and will remain in the lead, along with the _Interceptor_, all the time."

"How will we know if we encounter one of Reeve's ships?" Killian asked.

"It is certain that they will be flying the same colors," Holly answered.

"A black flag with a blindfolded skeleton holding a rose," Norrington added. During the first battle with Reeve, he had had another sailor make a sketch of Reeve's flag.

"Do we know which is his flagship?" asked Mason.

"No, as of now, we do not," said Norrington. "But I would assume whichever ship Reeve himself is sailing on is his flagship. I would also expect his ships to be traveling in groups, much like ours."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door and a guard entered. "Captain Gardener," the guard announced. "We have a visitor, and he requests to speak to you personally. He is aboard the _Dauntless_."

"Right away, of course," Holly stood up. "Excuse me, gentlemen. James, I trust you can continue from here." Once Norrington nodded in confirmation, she left the room and followed the guard up to the main deck. "Might I ask who this visitor is?" she asked politely, although she already knew the answer.

"Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company," the guard answered. He escorted her to the railing, where she was led down into a rowboat and rowed over to the _Dauntless_, anchored not far from the _Hero_. Along the way, her heart was pounding.

"Welcome aboard, Captain Gardener," a sailor greeted her as she climbed aboard.

"Well, well, _Captain_ Gardener," a familiar voice sounded. "And I thought I'd seen it all."

"Hey, Lily," Holly greeted her sister with a loving hug and a kiss on either cheek. "Yes, I am now Captain Holly Gardener. However, I don't have the nicest of news to share."

"I would like you to share it anyway," Beckett spoke up. "Come with us." Taking Lily's arm, he led Holly below deck to his private office. Once the three of them were comfortably seated, Holly took a deep breath and began.

"There is a reason why I am now in command of a fleet of fifteen ships," she said calmly. "Reeve has escaped custody. During the process, he informed me that he commands a fleet of his own and that he has one specific target in mind." She looked straight at Beckett. Lily brought a hand to her lips in shock. Beckett was quick to place an arm around her shoulders. "Yes," Holly sighed. "Reeve is after you."

"I understand," Beckett sounded deeply worried, but he was also fighting to keep his composure. "Well, I am glad that you have this situation under control." He was trying to sound brave, but Holly wasn't convinced. All of a sudden, he got up from his chair and strode quickly from the cabin.

"What's wrong?" Holly turned to Lily, who was staring at her folded hands.

"This is the last thing he needs right now," Lily sighed.

"Is there something going on?" Holly worried.

"Well, yes," Lily tried to find the right words. "Let's just say that Jasmine and I are in similar situations at the moment."

"You're pregnant, too?" Holly's mouth dropped open. "But how?"

"I'm also engaged," Lily added.

"To Cutler?" Holly needed confirmation. Lily nodded slowly.

"I don't know, it just happened," Lily's eyes were brimming with tears. "I just love him so much, and now we're both in danger! I just thought everything was going to work out and we would all be safe! I thought everything would work out." Her voice trailed off to a whisper at the end of her sentence.

"There, there," Holly reached over and took her sister's hands. "The _Dauntless_ now has fifteen ships protecting it. There is almost no chance that you will be in any danger."

"What should I do?" Lily seemed utterly helpless.

"Remember when we were chasing Reeve the first time?" Holly began optimistically. Lily nodded, so she continued, "You were almost completely taking the lead in that. You never backed down. You went from being so shy and quiet and nervous to being a confident, mature young woman who was never afraid to face a challenge." Holly's praise brought a smile to Lily's face.

"I guess I can't argue with that," Lily admitted.

"I suggest that, for the time being, you put some serious practice into your sword skills and get back into your sailor's clothes," Holly concluded.

"Thanks, Holly," Lily leaned over and gave Holly a warm hug.

"A sister's work is never done," Holly smiled. "Now, all we need to do is get a hold of Jasmine, and we'll be all set."

* * *

**Author's Note**: wow, this is my first update in almost a month. It's good to be back! I think in the next chapter, we might just check up on Jasmine and Jack and see what's going on with them.


	23. The Visitor

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty-Three**: The Visitor

For a period of about a week, Jasmine was finding that she wasn't getting enough sleep. She would toss and turn all night and eventually wake up and not be able to go back to sleep. Lately, she had merged into the sixth month of her pregnancy and the baby had been moving a lot more than she was used to.

One night, rather than curl up next to Jack for comfort, she got out of bed, lit a lantern, and went out on deck. Just in case, she also strapped her dagger belt around her waist.

As she emerged out onto the main deck, she began to hear noises below deck. _Hmm,_ she thought to herself, _it must just be one of the crew_. Then she remembered something. The night before, Jack had served the crew extra rum to celebrate Jasmine's sixth month, so they should have all been passed out from all the alcohol. Jasmine began to worry.

With curiosity bubbling in her, Jasmine gradually approached the stairs and took a hesitant step down. One by one, she advanced down each stair until she reached the cannon deck. Maybe the noises came from a barrel that had come loose from its position around the masts, but when she checked, she found that every barrel was tied down securely. Her nervousness began to grow.

Jasmine then moved down to the cargo deck. Everything was eerily silent. She couldn't hear any more noise, so she decided to go back to bed. Just as she was heading back towards the stairs, a sudden voice cut her right through to her heart.

"Not so fast, Miss Gardener."

Jasmine's breath caught in her throat. Her hear began pounding ten times harder and faster than normal. Slowly, she turned to face the owner of the voice.

"Reeve," she choked out once she got a good look at his face. "What…what are you doing here?" She was unable to even attempt to be brave. Her fear had completely taken over. She felt completely crushed when she realized that her hopes of being safe were now gone.

"I just thought I'd drop by and pay a visit," Reeve smirked.

"How long have you been down here?" Jasmine inquired in a tight whisper.

"Three weeks," Reeve replied casually.

"Three weeks?" Jasmine choked out in disbelief. "How did you even get here?"

"That's not important at the moment," Reeve began pacing. Jasmine instinctively brought her hands to her womb. The baby began to kick, which Jasmine found very comforting. When Reeve noticed her defensive position, he added, "I can assure you that I'm not here to harm you or our child."

"Then why _are_ you here?" Jasmine pressed on. Despite Reeve's reassurance, she still kept a protective grip on her womb.

"I need to tell you something," Reeve sighed.

"Alright, I'm listening," Jasmine sighed, seeing that she didn't exactly have a choice.

"Okay, here goes," Reeve began. Then his eyes began to fill with tears. "Jasmine, I love you. I've loved you since I found out that you were carrying my child. When you informed me of that during that one duel, it struck me right through my heart. Over the last several weeks, I've been completely tortured by what I've done to you. I know my actions can never be undone, but what I feel for you is true."

"Reeve," Jasmine's anger was rising. "I hope you don't think in the least that I would ever love you in return." She took a deep breath and then simply exploded. "I will _never_ forget what you did to me! I'm going to have a child, but _you_ are his or her father. Jack is not, and that fact alone has been _torturing_ him! Do you have _any_ idea of the trouble you've caused?" Reeve hung his head. In just a few seconds, Jasmine drew her dagger, grabbed him by the throat, and pinned him back against the wall. "Now, you _listen_ to me!" her face was mere inches from his. "You have threatened my life on more than one occasion, and you have threatened the lives of my sisters!"

Despite her tight grip, Reeve somehow managed to reverse the positioning so that he was pinning Jasmine against the wall. Her dagger had been knocked to the side. "Now, _you_ listen to _me_!" he snarled in a threatening whisper. His face was so close that Jasmine could feel his hot breath on her skin. "I can't help the things that I did to you. I cannot erase the past. I am _not_ looking for forgiveness because I _know_ I'll never get it! But I can't help the fact that I love you." At that, his tears began to run down his face. He collapsed to his knees and began to cry. Jasmine stood awkwardly above him. Finally, she knelt down so they were at the same level.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" Jasmine sighed. "Jack would kill you and then put your head on a pike if he were to find you down here."

"I'm leaving," Reeve sighed when he finally pulled himself together.

"Good," Jasmine felt relieved. "Where will you go from here?"

"I have a target in mind," Reeve took on another smirk.

"Who?" Jasmine folded her arms and raised one eyebrow.

"Beckett," answered Reeve.

"Oh, don't you dare," Jasmine's anger began to rise again.

"You and your precious pirate lover can't stop me," Reeve stood up and began walking towards the stairs. Jasmine managed to get in his way and stop him. "Get out of my way," he said calmly but firmly. When Jasmine refused to budge, his voice rose. "Get _out_ of my way!" he repeated. When Jasmine stubbornly shook her head, he grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her to the floor. Then, he took off running up the stairs and to the main deck.

As Jasmine struggled to sit up, she felt a hot liquid-like sensation at the back of her head. She cautiously reached up to touch it. Her hand came away covered in blood. "Oh, God," she whispered frightfully. Then, everything in her field of visions began to swirl. A few seconds later, she passed out.

* * *

"What happened?" Jasmine gasped, bolting up into a sitting position. She found herself lying in bed, with Jack sitting at his desk across the cabin.

"I found you down on the cargo deck, passed out with blood gushing from your head," Jack replied. He pointed to a bucket full of bloody rags sitting by the door. Jasmine reached up to touch her head and found a large bandage wrapped around it like a headband. One area was slightly wet with blood. "Do you know how it happened?" he asked with worry.

Jasmine struggled to piece together the events of the previous night. Unfortunately, the last thing she could remember was getting into bed with Jack and going to sleep. "I don't remember," she admitted with a heavy sigh.

Jack got up from his deck and sat down next to her on the bed. "It'll come back," he reassured her. "I know it will."

"I sure hope so," Jasmine rested her head on his shoulder and sighed happily when he wrapped her up in his arms. She reached down and placed a gentle hand on her womb. The baby started moving, which instantly soothed her. Jack reached down and placed his hand next to hers.

"It's such a beautiful feeling," he sighed happily. "Knowing that you're forming new life as we speak."

"I'm glad that you're warming up to the situation," said Jasmine.

"My goal is to be a better father to this baby than Reeve ever would," said Jack. He then placed a tiny kiss on Jasmine's forehead.

"You'll be a great father," Jasmine smiled. "I just know it."

"I'll do my best," Jack reassured her with a kiss.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Oh, no…Reeve's gotten to Jasmine again. Let's just hope she can remember what happened so Jack can get to him before he strikes again.


	24. Lily's Pregnancy Scare

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty-Four**: Lily's Pregnancy Scare

Over the course of a few more weeks, Lily's morning sickness began to dissipate. It happened less frequently, until it disappeared entirely. She woke up one morning feeling better than ever. Once she got out of bed, she traveled into Beckett's cabin to tell him the news. The two had made it clear that they would not share a bed again until they were officially married, and they had always slept in separate cabins.

"Oh, good morning, Lily," Beckett greeted her cheerfully when she entered the cabin. He was in the middle of buttoning his shirt.

"Here, let me get that," Lily took hold of his shirt and gently fastened each button. When she was done, she leaned over and kissed him.

"Thank you, darling," he smiled before putting on his vest and jacket. "How are you feeling today?"

"I have good news," Lily smiled, hardly able to contain her excitement.

"I'm dying to hear it," Beckett took her hands.

"I'm not feeling sick anymore," Lily concluded.

"That's wonderful!" Beckett smiled. "No other problems?"

"None," Lily reassured him.

"See? I told you not to worry about the baby, and look at how well everything is going," Beckett said as he pulled her into a gentle embrace. "You'll have a safe pregnancy and a safe delivery and we'll have started a family."

"I just can't wait till my delivery," Lily sighed. "I want to hold the baby so much right now."

"Well, you've still got a number of months to go," Beckett reminded her.

"I know," Lily pouted. "I'm already getting impatient."

"It's quite alright," Beckett reassured her with a kiss. "I want to hold the baby as much as you do." He then leaned down and placed a delicate kiss on her womb. Her baby bump was just beginning to form. She had already had to let out the constricting bodices of most of her dresses.

Just as Lily pulled Beckett into another kiss, she sudden felt an intensely sharp pain in her womb. She clapped a hand onto her belly and felt for signs of the baby moving, but she felt nothing. Then she looked down.

"Oh, God!" she shrieked. The skirt of her dress was slowly soaking with blood. "Oh, God, no!" she began to cry.

"I'm getting you back to your cabin and fetch the doctor," Beckett said frantically. He hoisted Lily into his arms and carried her down the hallway to her cabin and set her down on the bed. "Sweetheart, I'm right here," he reassured her. Through her frantic sobbing, she managed to nod. Among her sobs were also cries of pain.

"Somebody get the doctor!" Beckett shouted to the guards outside the door. They instantly jumped into action and ran off to follow his order. Beckett reached over and stroked Lily's face. "Everything's going to be alright," he managed to say before his own tears took over.

* * *

Lily figured she must have blacked out, because she woke up hours later wearing a different nightgown. Beckett was sitting on a chair next to her bed, holding her hand gently.

"Lily?" he reached over and touched her face when her eyes opened.

Lily managed a weak smile. Beckett leaned over and kissed her forehead. His eyes still held a few tears.

"What's the verdict?" she asked with genuine fear in her voice.

"It's not pleasant," Beckett admitted with a heavy sigh.

"Just tell me," Lily sighed and leaned back against the pillows.

Beckett wiped away his tears with a shaky hand before continuing. "We may have lost the baby," he said before taking a deep breath to keep himself from crying. His words hit Lily like a punch in the stomach. Her eyes widened in fear. "The doctor said that…preterm bleeding is a telltale sign of a miscarriage," Beckett struggled to say. Lily burst into tears and clung to him like a small child.

"I knew this would happen," Lily sobbed. "I just knew it!"

"I'll always be here for you," Beckett reassured her. "I love you."

"I love you, too," said Lily, clinging to him more tightly.

"We'll get through this," said Beckett. "I promise."

"But _why_ did this have to happen to _us_?" Lily began to cry even harder.

"I don't know, sweetheart," Beckett whispered. "I just don't know."

"Is there any sense in hoping?" Lily managed to stop crying and simply take deep breaths.

"I suppose there is," Beckett wiped away his tears and gave her a sad smile. "The doctor couldn't tell for certain whether or not the baby was still alive."

"I won't give up," declared Lily, sitting up straighter.

"I'm glad," Beckett pulled her in for a kiss.

* * *

Lily spent the next week locked up in her cabin, wallowing in depression. She spent the days either sleeping, praying, crying, or eating the occasional bit of food. Beckett would occasionally come to check on her, but it would only induce more tears from her. She refused to let her hands leave her womb. She kept feeling for signs of the baby, and she never lost hope.

One day in particular, the doctor came in to see her. Without saying a word, he did a quick examination, including using a strange cone-shaped device to listen for the baby's heartbeat. Finally, he stepped back with a happy smile on his face.

"Good news, Miss Gardener," he couldn't contain his happiness.

"What?" Lily's eyes were wide open.

"Your child has survived!" he burst out in excitement.

"Oh, that's _wonderful_!" Lily's eyes began to release tears of pure happiness.

"Here, feel," the doctor gently took Lily's hand and placed it over a specific spot on her womb. After about a minute of torturous anticipation, she felt a small flurry of kicks.

"Oh, my God!" Lily was feeling overwhelmed. "Oh, my God!"

"Should I send your fiancé in?" the doctor asked as he moved towards the door.

Through her tears of delight, Lily could only nod. Seconds later, Beckett entered the room, with a look of pure shock on his face. Lily held out her arms, and he instantly enveloped her in a tight embrace. "Our baby survived," he choked out before a few tears spilled onto Lily's shoulder.

"Yes," Lily confirmed. "Yes, our baby survived."

"That's honestly the most wonderful news I've received since I found out you were pregnant in the first place," Beckett sighed happily, which brought out a small laugh from Lily. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Lily leaned over and kissed his cheek.

* * *

**Author's Note**: This chapter doesn't have a tremendous effect on the general plot of the story, but I thought, 'hey, not every pregnancy can be perfect' so I decided to add a little twist. Plus, although Beckett's proving himself to be a good future husband and father at the moment, Lily will soon find out his true motives…


	25. Taking Down the Black Pledge

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty-Five**: Taking Down the _Black Pledge_

Holly had been waiting for this day since the moment the fleet set sail. When the leading trio of ships, consisting of the _Ocean's Hero_, the _Interceptor_, and the _Immaculate_, sailed ahead of the fleet to scout out the waters ahead, they spotted a new ship on the horizon.

Due to Admiral Edmundson's incredible experience on the seas, Holly had chosen him as her right-hand man. He had passed on his normal duties to his first mate. "Admiral?" Holly called out to him from her position on the _Hero_'s bow.

"Yes, Captain Gardener?" Edmundson was quick to appear at her side.

"Take a look at that ship out there," Holly gestured in the right direction. Edmundson pulled out his spyglass and took a good long look. Holly's heart pounded with anxiety.

"Reeve's colors," Edmundson declared as he tucked the spyglass back into his belt. "I recognize the ship, too. She's called the _Black Pledge_. When I was six, her crew attacked the merchant vessel my father was working on, killing him in the process."

"I'm so sorry," said Holly with true sympathy.

"Now that she's under Reeve's command, she needs to be taken down," Edmundson sounded like he was ready to kill.

"Alright, alert the messenger," Holly ordered. "Get him to inform the rest of the fleet." Once she received Edmundson's nod of acknowledgement, she went straight to the ship's helm, where Norrington was speaking to the navigator. "James?" she called to get his attention.

"Yes?" Norrington could sense the urgency in her voice.

"It's time," Holly announced with as much bravery and composure as she could, although she was beyond scared.

"Are you sure?" Norrington sounded as scared as he was.

"Come see for yourself," Holly took his hand and led him up to the bow. "There," she pointed.

"Oh, God," Norrington sighed. He handed his spyglass to Holly and then instructed, "Take a good look and tell me any details to can pull from the ship." Holly nodded, opened the spyglass, and pressed it to her eye.

"Bright red sails, ebony wood hull, flying Reeve's colors…I'd estimate at least one hundred and fifty crewmembers on board and…oh, God," her voice trailed off.

"What is it?" Norrington coaxed.

"Three decks of heavy cannons," Holly sighed and handed back the spyglass.

"Holly, this is one ship," Norrington took her face in his hands, attempting to reassure her. "We have fifteen. They don't stand a chance."

"You're right," Holly smiled as Norrington kissed her forehead. Then she got an idea. "I need to speak to Admiral Edmundson," she declared, releasing herself from his grasp and heading to the helm.

"Admiral!" she called out.

"Yes, Captain Gardener?" Edmundson had been working with the navigator, but he shifted his attention to Holly.

"I need you to help me plan the attack," said Holly.

"Of course, captain!" Edmundson jumped down the stairs from the helm and followed Holly into the meeting room. On the table, Holly laid out a piece of blank parchment along with four small model ships.

"Alright," Holly muttered as she made a rough sketch of the surrounding area and placed the model representation of the _Black Pledge_ onto the parchment. "We're approaching an island, which means the water will be shallower."

"We can lead them into a trap," Edmundson was catching on.

"Exactly," Holly nodded. "Now, what we can do is get the trio to surround the _Pledge_ and draw them closer to the shallows." She paused to place the other three models into a triangle around the first one. "Then, once it's shallow enough and there's no way they can escape, we drop anchor and open fire."

"I'm impressed," said Edmundson. "I never would have come up with that."

"Good, then it's settled," Holly said cheerfully. With that, the two left the meeting room. Edmundson went to relay the plan to the rest of the crew while Holly went straight to Norrington. "We have a plan," she said nervously rather than proudly.

"That's great," Norrington had a proud smile. "Let's hear it!"

"We chase them towards the shallows and surround them," said Holly.

"That sounds quite effective," said Norrington. Then he sighed. "Holly, might I ask why you're so worried about this situation?"

"I don't know," sighed Holly. "I guess I just have to always acknowledge the possibility of failure. No matter how secure the situation may look, there's always a chance that you'll be killed and taken from me." Once she finished her sentence, she pulled Norrington into a gentle hug. "I couldn't bear to lose you, James."

"And I you," Norrington reassured her. "We just have to do the best we can and never give up hope."

"You're very good at being reassuring," said Holly, beginning to cheer up. "I appreciate that."

"I have to be, seeing how much you worry," said Norrington, kissing her gently on the forehead.

"Captain!" Holly recognized Edmundson's voice.

"Yes, Admiral?" she acknowledged him.

"We're close," he said. "We should get into position."

"I would like you to do the honors, if you wouldn't mind," Holly suggested. She was still a little rusty with her abilities to command a ship.

"I would be honored, Captain Gardener," Edmundson bowed slightly before darting off to command the crew. Within a matter of minutes, the cannons were prepared, swords were sharpened, gunpowder and bullets were issued, and everyone took his respective position. Holly stood at the helm, having decided to steer the ship. She sighed with relief at how smoothly everything was going. Soon enough, Edmundson and Norrington both approached her.

"I'm sorry, Captain, but I must return and command the _Immaculate_," said Edmundson.

"And I am needed on the _Interceptor_," said Norrington.

Holly nodded, suddenly fearful. She was suddenly afraid of having to command by herself. In the past weeks, she had always had one of the two to guide her. "I'll be fine."

Edmundson saluted her and took off for a rowboat. Norrington stayed longer and pulled her into a quick but loving kiss. "I promise I'll come back safe." With that, he also left to get into a rowboat.

"Mr. Wesley!" Holly called out. Wesley was a trusted member of her crew. He carried several years of experience on the sea, and Holly trusted him.

"Yes, Captain Gardener," Wesley climbed up the stairs to the helm.

"I will be needing your assistance," said Holly.

"Of course, madam," said Wesley.

"You know the plan, right?" When Wesley nodded, she continued, "I need you to direct me when we get close enough to turn and drop anchor. Can you do that?"

"Of course," said Wesley. Without another word, Holly focused her attention on the _Black Pledge_. The trio was drawing ever closer. The _Pledge_ was slowly approaching the shallows near the island.

"Yes," Holly muttered under her breath.

"Okay, now!" Wesley instructed. Without a moment of consideration, Holly gripped the wheel and turned sharply towards starboard, following the direction of the _Immaculate_ and becoming a guide for the _Interceptor_. She loved the sudden whip of wind across her face from the sudden turn. It made her feel strong, confident, and determined.

Once she saw the _Immaculate_ drop its anchor, she shouted, "Lower the starboard anchor!" The ship was soon locked into place. Since steering was no longer necessary, she went down to the stairs above the gun deck. "Ready on the guns," she directed. Each pair of men assigned themselves to a particular cannon. "On my signal…" she peered above deck for a quick moment. "FIRE!"

At that instant, the air was overwhelmed with the sounds of cannonfire. Holly darted back to the main deck. Sure enough, the _Black Pledge_ was slowly falling to pieces. She didn't stand a chance. Although she was firing back, she was only causing trivial damage to the other ships. The _Ocean's Hero_ only received damage to the figurehead and parts of the railing.

Finally, the _Black Pledge_ began to sink. The trio had prevailed.

* * *

A little while later, rowboats were sent out to gather survivors. They were brought to the _Ocean's Hero_ and lined up in handcuffs along the railing. Holly stood before them. "I know that each and every one of you sails under the flag of the former Admiral Reeve. I'll make this plain and simple: where is he?"

No one spoke up, so Holly continued, "It will go easier for you if you give us as much information as you can." Still, no one spoke up. Holly took a deep breath. "Reeve _will_ be hunted down and brought to justice. I can assure you that."

"He…" one of the survivors spoke up in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

"Yes?" Holly knelt in front of him and looked him right in the eye.

"He does not sail on the _Black Pledge_, madam," said the man.

"Then which ship _does_ he sail on?" Holly asked, keeping her voice calm and soothing.

"He sails on the _Terror's Wing_, madam," a new man spoke up.

Satisfied, Holly stood back up. "Anything else?" Silence followed. "Now, I just want to make something clear to all of you," she said. "Your fates are not my decision. That responsibility is not in my hands. But as long as you are on my ship, no harm will come to you. You will be well fed and you will be safe."

As soon as Holly was finished speaking, the survivors were led down to the brig. Holly leaned back on the railing and barely acknowledged Norrington when he approached her.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Holly shook her head. He gently pulled her into his arms and tucked her head into the crook of his neck.

"Those men are surely going to their deaths," Holly sighed.

"Holly, they're criminals," said Norrington. "They sailed under Reeve."

"Well, maybe I haven't gotten the full story yet," Holly realized. "I'm going to speak with them tonight. Maybe I can get them to trust us."

"Just be careful, sweetheart," Norrington took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead.

"I will," Holly promised.

* * *

**Author's Note**: One down…who knows how many to go. Well, they didn't find Reeve, but they're getting a little bit closer…


	26. Strike of the Terror's Wing

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty-Six**: Strike of the _Terror's Wing_

About two weeks after the demise of the _Black Pledge_, three of the Fleet's ships split off from the group to meet up with the _Pearl_. Holly had decided that the _Pearl_ stood virtually no chance by itself, so she sent off the _Corona_, the _Lady Luck_, and the _Arabian_ to locate her. It only took about another week to track her down.

McAdams, Tracer, and Smith gathered into a rowboat and rowed out to the _Pearl_. Jack and Jasmine recognized the Fleet's colors, so they welcomed the three men in a friendly manner.

"Welcome aboard, gentlemen," Jasmine greeted them warmly. She shook hands with the trio as they introduced themselves.

"It's a pleasure, Miss Gardener," said Tracer as he shook her hand.

"Might I inquire as to your business aboard the _Pearl_?" Jack inquired politely, but with some level of suspicion.

"We have been sent by Captain Holly Gardener," declared Smith.

"Oh?" Jasmine was curious as to what her sister needed. "For what purpose?" She had been informed by a messenger of Reeve's intentions, so she assumed the men were sent to bring her more news.

"We have been sent to protect the _Black Pearl_," said McAdams.

"That would be greatly appreciated," said Jasmine. "Seeing as how we're one ship up against God only knows how many."

"Well, it looks like you arrived just in time," Jack said in a worried voice. He pointed off past the bow.

"Oh, God," Tracer gasped. On the horizon, Jasmine could distinguish three heavily-armed ships. With Jack's spyglass, she observed Reeve's flag flying from the mainmast of each ship.

"Dear Lord," she sighed. "We have to stand and fight."

"I think I'd rather take the alternative option!" said Jack in a nervous voice.

"And what's that?" Jasmine turned on him, her voice thick with frustration. Jack simply started pointing away from the oncoming ships. "Run away?" Jasmine sighed angrily. "Jack, you are a coward!"

"Jasmine," sighed Jack. "You're more than seven months pregnant. I refuse to put either of us in a situation that might end in your death or the death of our child."

"I guess you have a point," Jasmine agreed. "Well, I'm staying out here until the first cannon is fired." When Jack started to say something, she interrupted, "No exceptions."

"You really don't take no for an answer, do you?" Jack leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"No, I don't," Jasmine winked. Then she placed her hands over her womb. "It's alright, little one. We'll all be just fine." She got a small flurry of kicks in response. Then she went over to the railing to observe the oncoming ships. "Gentlemen?" she called out to Tracer, Smith, and McAdams. They all turned to face her. "Could you take a look at those ships for me?" She handed her spyglass to Smith. He opened it and took a good long look.

"It's the _Terror's Wing_," Smith choked out. He handed the spyglass off to Tracer.

"What's wrong?" asked Jasmine.

"That's Reeve's flagship," said Smith. "He's here."

"How do you know?" Jasmine was getting scared.

"Captain Gardener recently captured seven prisoners from the _Black Pledge_, a ship of Reeve's fleet. They informed her that Reeve himself sails aboard the _Terror's Wing_, which he has chosen as his flagship," said Smith.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Smith," said Jasmine. She then went over to Jack. "We will definitely be facing Reeve," she declared with a sigh.

"There's no 'we' here, Jasmine," said Jack as he took her hands. "_I_ will be facing Reeve. _You_ will be getting yourself below deck where you'll be safe."

"I know," Jasmine choked out. A single tear fell from her eyes. "Just come back safe to me. Our baby needs a father."

"Never fear, darling," Jack smirked. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" He managed to get a smile out of Jasmine. They both looked out towards the bow and observed Reeve's ships getting closer. "Now would be a good time for you to get below deck," said Jack.

"Alright," whispered Jasmine. Jack took her face in his hands and kissed her urgently.

"I love you," he whispered. He then leaned down to kiss Jasmine's womb.

"I love you, too," said Jasmine, right before she went over to Smith. "I'm trusting you three to keep us all safe," she said.

"You have my word, Miss Gardener," Smith declared as he took her hand and delicately kissed it. Jasmine then turned on her heel and went back to Jack.

"I will be two decks below, in the cargo hold," she said. Jack leaned in for one more kiss.

"Go!" he commanded once they broke apart. Jasmine nodded and ran for the stairs. She went down to the cargo hold and found herself a safe hiding place between two rows of barrels. Listening carefully, she could hear the usual commands that Jack issued before a battle. She heard the heavy rumbling as the cannons were rolled into their positions in the gun ports. She felt the ship bob up and down over the waves. She reached down and clutched her womb, praying that everything would turn out alright.

Eventually, she heard a pair of footsteps stumbling down the stairs. She peered over the barrels to see Smith, his uniform torn and blood leaking from a gunshot in his stomach.

"Lieutenant Smith!" Jasmine gasped, jumping up from her hiding spot to help him sit down on the floor. "Dear Lord, what has happened to you?"

"Reeve…R-Reeve shot me!" he choked out. Jasmine placed a soothing hand on his face to help wipe away the dirt, sweat, and tears.

"Oh, dear God," Jasmine sighed. "Well, I'm going to help you. Stay right here and try not to move. I'll be right back."

"Wait!" Smith grabbed her arm to stop her. "You can't go up there! Reeve will catch you."

"I'm not just going to let you die in front of me," Jasmine said calmly before pulling her arm away and dashing back up the stairs. She ran straight for the captain's cabin. It only took her a few seconds to find the black wooden box where she and Jack kept basic medical supplies. Once she had it tucked securely in her arms, she ran back down to the cargo deck. Smith was lying right where she had left him.

"Alright," she sighed, kneeling down beside him and opening the box. She pulled out several clean sheets of gauze, a bottle of disinfectant, and a pair of forceps. "Now, this is going to hurt."

"I've been through worse," Smith said in a harsh whisper before a cry of pain escaped his lips.

Without another word, Jasmine poured some of the disinfectant onto a piece of gauze and placed it gently over the wound. Smith's resulting cries of pain were almost unbearable. With a steady hand, she forced him to stay still while she wiped away the blood. Finally, she threw the gauze off to the side and took the forceps. Taking a close look at the wound, she found that she couldn't see the bullet.

"I can't see it," she sighed, trying to contain the tears that were forming in her eyes. "I don't think I'll be able to get it out. If I try, I'll only make you bleed more." She then grabbed more gauze and clamped it over the wound, trying to slow the flow of blood, but to no avail.

"Pray with me, Miss Gardener," Smith whispered. Nodding, Jasmine took his hands. He clamped his eyes shut and breathed deeply.

"Lord," Jasmine began, "I pray that you will ensure a gentle passing for Lieutenant Smith. Know that I tried to save him. I cannot get that bullet out without the possibility of killing him. Please forgive me if my actions have at all caused him pain or suffering, and please take him into your gentle arms as he makes his journey towards Heaven. Amen." With that, she began to sob. Smith was growing paler by the second. Jasmine kept a firm grip on the gauze, but it was almost entirely soaked through with blood. All she could do now was keep him as comfortable as possible.

"Thank you," Smith whispered.

"I wish I could have done more," Jasmine choked through her tears. "I'm so sorry." She couldn't bring herself to say that the wound would almost definitely have been too serious to survive.

"Don't be," Smith managed a fraction of a smile. "You did the right thing, Jasmine." Those were his last words before his eyes shut, his hand dropped from hers, and he became as pale as a ghost. Jasmine burst into tears. A man had died right in front of her, and she hadn't been able to come even close to saving him. Finally, Jasmine decided to take action. She yanked the pistol from Smith's belt, checked to make sure it was loaded, and strode purposefully up the stairs. She wasn't going to let Reeve simply get away for what he had done.

When Jasmine reached the stairs leading to the main deck, she crouched down low, which was difficult due to her protruding womb, and peered out towards the battle. Making sure to stay as low as possible, she edged the pistol up onto the stairs immediately above her and searched for Reeve. She found him dueling with Jack and took careful aim, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. She couldn't figure out why, until the memories of the night he had come aboard the _Pearl_ and admitted his love for her all came flooding back. Everything made sense to her now. Jack had been trying to explain the situation to her for weeks, but without her memory it had been next to useless.

A tear dripped from Jasmine's eye. Reeve had raped her several times. Reeve had threatened her life as well as the lives of Beckett, Norrington, Jack, and her sisters. Reeve had robbed her dream of having her first child with Jack. She should have been one hundred percent ready and eager to pull the trigger and end his life, but she just couldn't bring herself to put a bullet in the skull of her child's father.

Finally, Jasmine managed to drop the pistol. She edged back down a few stairs and surrendered to her tears.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I had been suffering writer's block for a while after Chapter 25, but I'm finally able to update again! This one was ultimately very difficult to write, due to the fact that I couldn't kill off Reeve yet, so I had to make up some excuse to keep him alive.


	27. Escape Plans

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**: Escape Plans

Lily woke up in an unfamiliar place. She was curled up in the fetal position on a damp and dirty floor. She looked up to see heavy iron bars surrounding her. The room had no light except for a few holes near the ceiling where sunlight could sneak in. She was locked up.

Lily sat up and rubbed her sore head. She felt a bump just above her hairline. Her hand came away slightly bloody. As she used the bars to scrape the blood from her fingers, she heard a noise and turned to see someone coming down the stairs. She backed up against the farthest wall of her cell.

"Hello, Miss Gardener," an eerie voice greeted her.

"Reeve," Lily choked out. She brought her hands to her womb.

"I'm so glad you could join me," Reeve smirked as he took a seat on a bench right outside her cell.

"What am I doing here?" Lily demanded, trying to keep her face looking stern. "What happened?"

"There was a battle," said Reeve. "The _Dauntless_ was destroyed, as was the rest of the fleet."

"And…Beckett?" Lily was scared to ask.

"Dead," Reeve said simply.

"No!" Lily cried out. Her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm afraid so," said Reeve. "I've finally accomplished my mission. However, your sisters managed to escape."

"You're lying!" Lily shrieked. "Cutler is _not_ dead! I don't believe you!"

"He is dead," said Reeve. "Now I just have to get a hold of your dear sisters and we'll be all set." He then stood up. "Well, I guess I'll be going now."

"No!" Lily shrieked. "You bastard! You'll pay for this! You won't live to see another day if I get out of here!" Once he was completely out of sight, Lily broke down sobbing. Beckett was dead. Although the two had had problems in their relationship, she loved him with all her heart. He had given Lily her first child. Now that he was gone, that child would be all she had to remember him by.

However, Lily somehow couldn't entirely believe Reeve's words. A feeling was nagging in the back of her mind that Beckett was still alive. Deep down in her heart, she knew that he could still be out there looking for her. Also, she refused to believe that the Fleet had been destroyed. Holly commanded fifteen of the best warships in the British Empire. There was no way that all of them had simply been wiped off the face of the earth. Reeve was probably just lying to break her down and make her vulnerable, but she refused to let him get to her.

To comfort herself, Lily reached down and placed her hands over her womb. They baby began to kick. "I love you, little one," she whispered softly. "And your father is going to be just fine, along with my dear sisters." She wiped away her tears. "Everything will be fine." Then she heaved a heavy sigh. The last time she had been with Beckett, the couple had been taking a moonlit walk on the main deck. The thought of him being dead, or even him being injured, sent chills down her spine. Even though she knew that Reeve was probably lying, there was still a chance that Beckett was truly dead. Wasn't there?

* * *

Lily managed to doze off for about an hour. She woke up to the sound of clinking chains and looked up to see three more people being led down to the brig. By squinting her eyes, she could see the faces of Holly, Jasmine, and Jack.

"Lily!" Holly cried out, running towards her sister. Just as their hands clasped, Holly was yanked away by a guard. She, Jasmine, and Jack were each put into separate cells. As soon as the guards were gone, Lily burst out,

"Someone please tell me if Cutler is alive!" Lily was frantic. Tears began to form in her eyes again. "Is he alive?"

"I don't know," Holly said with regret.

"Neither do I, I'm afraid," Jasmine sighed. With difficulty, she managed to kneel on the floor of her cell. At eight months into her pregnancy, she could go into labor at any time.

"What are we going to do?" asked Holly. "We're cut off from the Fleet, we don't know if Beckett is alive or dead, and we're stuck in here."

"Wait a minute," said Lily. "Reeve told me that the Fleet had been destroyed."

"That bastard," Holly spat. Her knuckles were turning white from how tightly she was holding onto the bars. "Well, I can tell you right now: that is _not_ true. The Fleet is very much alive. We've lost three ships over the last few weeks, but we've sunken more than three times that amount."

"What happened to get all three of you captured?" Lily asked, trying to piece things together.

"The _Pearl_, along with three ships of the Fleet, came up against the _Terror's Wing_, along with two of Reeve's other ships," said Jack. "The _Terror's Wing_ escaped while the other two sank, so we chased her down. Unfortunately, we came upon the two fleets utterly tangled together. Realizing that we were outnumbered, Norrington managed to escape on the _Interceptor_, along with the rest of the Fleet, but not until after the three of us were captured."

"Well, at least they're safe," Lily sighed with relief.

"And yes, there is a good chance that Cutler survived," said Holly. Her words brought a smile to Lily's face.

"What do they plan to do with us?" Jasmine worried. Her arms were encircled around her womb.

"I have no idea," Lily sighed.

"Do you remember what happened?" Holly asked.

"I don't remember being captured," said Lily. "I just woke up in here. I must have been knocked unconscious."

"You do realize that Reeve made the world's greatest mistake by putting us all in here together, right?" Jack had an evil smirk on his face.

"Why's that?" asked Jasmine.

"He put me together with three smart and very resourceful young women," replied Jack. "We'll be out of here in no time."

"I guess you have a point," said Lily. "He may have you behind bars, but you're still the great Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Lily…Gardener?" a timid voice came from the stairwell.

"Yes?" Lily called out. A young soldier came down into the brig. He had a look of pure fear on his face.

"I've been instructed to give this to you," he said, holding out a trembling hand that clutched a folded piece of parchment. Lily snatched it just before he dashed back up the stairs.

Lily quickly unfolded the parchment and read aloud:

_Dear Lily,_

_I decided to have this sent to you due to the fact that I have no idea whether or not you have been able to come in contact with Holly, Jasmine, or Captain Sparrow. All I know is that the three of you are being held by Reeve aboard the Terror's Wing._

_In case you have been told otherwise, your dear fiancé is very much alive and well. He was not harmed in any way and he is currently aboard the Dauntless, searching for you._

_You will be relieved to know that I have thought of a plan to help the three of you escape. After the battle, the Terror's Wing took off on its own, completely separated from the rest of Reeve's fleet. Around midnight tonight, you should be approaching a small deserted island. If you can manage to escape from the brig and get yourselves into a rowboat, you will be able to head due east and reach the island. I will meet you there in the morning on the Interceptor, along with the Dauntless, and we will all go after Reeve and finally take him down._

_I know this will be risky, but it is quite a lucky chance that the Terror's Wing is unprotected. This might be our only chance to finally pose a real challenge for him, so you will need to be brave._

_Tell Holly that I love her and that we will be together very soon._

_Love, _

_James_

When Lily finished reading the letter, she folded it up and tucked it into her dress pocket. "Alright, we're going to need to find a way to get out of these cells. Any ideas?" Jack, Jasmine, and Holly all shook their heads. "Holly and Jasmine, do either of you have any hair pins to pick the locks with?"

"No, but are you wearing a corset?" Holly asked. Lily nodded. "Pull out some of the whale bone from it."

"Good idea," Lily smiled. She then unlaced the bodice of her dress and pulled it down around her waist, revealing her corset. Using her long fingernails, she pulled the stitches loose around the framework and removed a few of the whale bone supports. She then pulled her dress back up and re-laced it.

"Next, there's the issue of the night watchmen," Jasmine pointed out. "They're sure to see us."

"I'd almost forgotten about that," Holly sighed.

"Hold on," said Lily. Using the sharp edge of her cell bars, she sharpened each of the whale bones, creating four makeshift daggers. She tossed one to each person and tucked her own into the bodice of her dress. Then she heaved a deep sigh.

"Don't worry about it, sweetie," said Holly. "James will get us all out of here safely, and he'll get you back to your fiancé. We just have to trust him."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Well, it looks like Part Two is coming to a close. I'm planning for each Part to consist of 15 chapters, so the total at the end of the story should be 46 (15 for each Part and then an epilogue).


	28. The Island

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**: The Island

"Two down, one to go," Holly declared in a whisper as she slit the throat of one of the night watchmen. She and Jack were scouring the deck, removing any opposition that might try and alter their escape plans. Since Lily and Jasmine were five and eight months pregnant, respectively, they were in no condition for fighting.

As Holly and Jack continued across the deck to the helm, Holly sighed. "Do you really think this plan will work?" she asked.

"I wouldn't bet my life on it," said Jack. "Let's put it that way."

"What's worse is that Jasmine mentioned having contractions just after we had picked all the locks," said Holly. "She could go into labor."

"I know, Holly," Jack sighed. "I'd just like to avoid thinking about that at the moment."

"Alright," said Holly, focusing her attention back to the task at hand. Then she saw a figure moving by the ship's wheel. "Wait," she grabbed Jack's arm to stop him.

"No problem," Jack shrugged.

"Then let's go," Holly put on an air of confidence as she and Jack began to creep up towards the staircase.

"Hey!" the figure noticed them.

"Split!" Holly called out. It was her signal to Jack for when they should split up and go in different directions. She and Jack each took one of two staircases that led up to the helm. The watchman kept turning in different directions, trying to keep an eye on both of them at the same time. It wasn't long before he had Jack's sword (which Jack had managed to get back, along with all his other 'effects') and Holly's makeshift dagger both plunged into some vital part of his body. He was dead in a matter of seconds.

"I guess it's safe to get the others now," Holly said as she tucked the dagger into her belt.

"I told you it would work out," Jack said with a confident smirk.

"Well, yes, but you also said that you wouldn't bet your life on it," Holly pointed out. "And don't take about the plan again until we're safely away from this hellhole. You might jinx it."

"My lips are sealed," said Jack. The two then made their way back down to the brig. Jasmine and Lily met them eagerly, and the quartet then went back up on deck.

"I heard one of the watchmen say that the crew have all been given an extra ration of rum tonight," said Holly. "They won't be awake anytime soon." The four then approached one of the rowboats. It was plenty big enough to fit all of them. Working as a team, they all climbed in and lowered the boat into the water. Jack and Holly manned the oars while Jasmine and Lily rested in the back. As quietly as possible, Holly and Jack began to row. They kept a steady pace and didn't say a single word until the _Terror's Wing_ was completely out of sight.

"We made it," Lily sighed happily.

With a tired sigh, Jack set his oar aside. Jasmine reached up and held his hand. "Alright, love?" he asked with a smile. Jasmine nodded and laid a gentle hand over her womb.

"Look, I think I see the island!" Holly whispered excitedly. Everyone turned and followed the direction of her pointing finger. Sure enough, there was the definite shape of land in the distance.

"Let's go," said Jack. He and Holly took up their respective oars again. Using the moonlight to guide them, they rowed in the direction of the island. It wasn't long before they pulled up to the shoreline. One by one, they all got out of the boat.

"Let's just hope James finds us," Holly sighed. The reality of their situation was pressing down on her like a thousand-pound weight. They were stranded on a deserted island in the middle of the night. Jasmine was eight months pregnant and could go into labor at any time. Above all, they had nothing to depend on but Norrington's promise.

"Right now, there's not much we can do but go to sleep," said Lily. She dipped her hands into the water to scrub off some of the dirt that had accumulated during her time in the brig. A beam of moonlight managed to make her engagement ring sparkle. She was instantly reminded of Beckett. _I'll be back with you before you know it_, she thought. A broad smile spread across her face.

Lily stood up and gazed out at the vast ocean. A gentle breeze blew through her hair. She took a deep, cleansing breath of ocean air. She felt refreshed to be away from the _Terror's Wing_. She felt inspired to stay strong and keep herself and her sisters safe.

As Lily finished washing her hands, she turned to see Holly, Jasmine, and Jack all lying down in the sand. Jack had his arms gently looped around Jasmine. Holly was curled up in the fetal position. Lily smiled and lay down next to her. "You'll be seeing James tomorrow," she said, trying to bring a smile to her sister's face.

"And you'll be seeing Cutler," said Holly. She managed a small smile.

"Don't worry," said Lily, "Everything will be fine."

"I hope so," Holly sighed and took Lily's hand. "Good night."

"Good night," Lily said, not letting go of Holly's hand as she closed her eyes.

* * *

Lily awoke before everyone else the next morning. She brushed the sand from her dress and got up to stretch. She looked out at the ocean but saw nothing. So far, there was no Royal Navy ship on the horizon. She took a deep breath and said a quick prayer, asking God to guide James safely to the island.

"Don't worry, Lil," Holly's voice came seemingly out of nowhere. "They'll be here."

"How did you know I was thinking about that?" Lily couldn't help but smile. Holly came up and placed a gentle arm around her shoulders.

"You want to see your fiancé, as do I," said Holly. "James' promise to find us is at the forefront of both our minds right now."

"Wait a minute," Lily's tone of voice changed. She pointed out towards the horizon. "Look."

"I don't see anything," said Holly.

"It's a ship!" Lily gasped.

"You're right, it is!" Holly carefully followed Lily's gaze. "Actually, it's _two_ ships!"

"They've come for us," Lily smiled tearfully. She clasped her hands to her heart. As Holly went to wake up Jack and Jasmine, she sank down to her knees in the sand. She watched as the ships turned and started heading in the direction of the island. They got closer and closer before dropping anchor.

Lily, Jasmine, Holly, and Jack all gathered down at the shoreline as two rowboats full of men lowered into the water. By squinting her eyes, Lily could definitely distinguish Norrington and Beckett among them.

"James!" Holly shrieked when the boat pulled up to the shore. She ran straight into her fiancé's arms, hugging and kissing him with every drop of passion she could muster.

Lily's breath caught in her throat when she saw Beckett. His eyes instantly lit up to match the broad smile on his face. Within seconds, Lily found herself in his arms. Tears spilled from her eyes like a waterfall while she buried her face in his neck.

"Oh, God!" Jasmine cried out all of a sudden. Her hands went straight to her womb. She let out a terrible cry of pain.

"We're getting you back to the _Dauntless_ right away!" Norrington declared. He carefully guided Jasmine into one of the rowboats. She lay back in Jack's arms.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Jack whispered softly. "You're going to be fine." Jasmine could only nod in reply. Her breathing was growing heavier by the second. Holly and Lily's eyes were flooding with tears. Their sister was going into labor, and they had no idea whether she would actually survive the delivery.

"Just hang in there, Jasmine," Lily reached over and clasped her sister's hand. Jasmine managed a weak smile. "We're going to bring your baby into the world."

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, it looks like Jasmine will be having her baby in the next chapter, but will she survive the dangers of childbirth?


	29. Delivery

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**: Delivery

"It's just a little farther, love," said Jack. He was carrying Jasmine down to the hospital cabin on the _Dauntless_. Holly, Lily, Norrington, and Beckett were following behind him. Along the way, Jasmine's contractions started to get more painful.

"Oh, God, make it stop!" Jasmine cried out.

"Here we are," Jack sighed with relief when they reached the hospital cabin. He gently set Jasmine down on one of the cots and knelt down beside her. The doctor reached down and gently touched her hand.

"Miss Gardener, my name is Doctor Phillip Adams," he introduced himself. "I'll be helping you to deliver this baby."

"Thank you," Jasmine whispered. Her face and hair were drenched with sweat and tears. Phillip laid a cold, wet cloth over her forehead.

"Now," said Phillip, "I'm sorry to say that I don't have an assistant. He was killed last week and I have not been able to hire a new one yet."

"I'll assist you, Doctor Adams," Lily bravely spoke up. Phillip gave her a questioning look. She continued, "My grandfather was a well-known doctor in England. I assisted him through a great variety of medical events, including childbirth."

"What was your grandfather's name?" asked Phillip.

"Doctor Henry Gardener," said Lily.

"Doctor Gardener was my teacher, and a great man," said Phillip. "Very well. You may assist with your sister's delivery." He then turned to everyone else. "Now, this is a very small room. I'm afraid I will need everyone besides Miss Lily here to wait outside."

Jack leaned down and gave Jasmine a tearful kiss before reluctantly leaving the room.

"Now, Miss Lily," said Phillip. "Are you sure about this?"

"Of course I'm sure," Lily said in a somewhat cold tone. She then went to a cabinet and pulled out a white apron and headscarf. She put them both on and then washed her hands in a nearby water basin. Nervousness stung her heart. Jasmine's life and the life of her baby were partially in her hands.

"Alright, Miss Jasmine," Phillip knelt beside the soon-to-be mother. "Are the contractions getting more painful?"

"Yes!" Jasmine cried out as another contraction came. Phillip gently lifted her skirt to observe her dilation. Lily took a look as well.

"About how often do they come?" Lily inquired.

"I don't know!" cried Jasmine. "They're so close together, I can't tell!"

"Do you think she's ready to push?" Lily whispered to Phillip.

"I think so," Phillip replied.

"Alright, Jasmine," Lily reached over and laid a hand on her sister's forehead. "It's time to push."

"Lord, help me!" Jasmine clamped her eyes shut.

"I won't leave your side," Lily smiled. "Ready?" Jasmine managed a tight nod. Lily clasped her hand.

"When I count to three, I need you to push," said Phillip. He was at the other end of the cot. "One…two…three!"

With a loud cry of pain, Jasmine gave the strongest push she could possibly manage. "Just a few more, and I think we'll be done," said Lily.

"Lily, I need a towel!" said Phillip.

"Right away, Doctor!" Lily ran to the cabinet and grabbed the first towel she saw. Phillip used it to wipe away the blood that came from Jasmine's womb.

"I've got the head," said Phillip.

"I think one more good, strong push should do it," said Lily. "Ready?"

Jasmine put a fiercely determined look on her face. "Ready," she said. Before Phillip could even count to three, she gave another hard push. In less than a minute, she heard the most beautiful sound in the world. She heard the cries of her firstborn child.

"It's a girl!" Lily cried happily. Jasmine breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Lily gently took the infant, washed her off in the water basin, and wrapped her up in a blanket. "Would you like to hold your daughter?" she asked.

"Of course," Jasmine smiled. She gently took the baby in her arms and held her to her chest. "You're so beautiful," she whispered.

"Have you chosen a name?" Phillip asked as he washed his hands.

"Yes," Jasmine nodded. "Mary Rose."

"It's an absolutely _lovely_ name," Lily leaned down and kissed Jasmine on the forehead. "Now, shall I bring Jack in here?" Jasmine sighed happily and nodded. Lily then went out into the hallway. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over at her. "Jasmine has delivered a healthy baby girl!" Lily announced proudly. Everyone smiled and breathed sighs of relief.

"Can I see her now?" asked Jack.

"Of course," said Lily. She stepped aside to let Jack into the room.

"Lily?" Beckett approached her.

"Yes?" Lily smiled as he kissed her.

"Come with me," Beckett took her hand. He led her down the hallway, up the stairs, and out into the morning sunshine. "That was an incredible thing you did today, Lily," he said proudly. "You helped to deliver Jasmine's first born child." Lily blushed with pride for herself. "When I first met you," Beckett continued, "I had a completely different opinion of you." Lily grew curious. "I originally thought you to be shy and delicate. I thought that, once we were married, you would simply stay at home and take care of the children."

"Well, I used to be like that," said Lily. "I used to be the kind of girl whose sole purpose was to get married and have children. Now that I've spent some time at sea, I've had a change of character."

"However, once this baby is born," said Beckett, "I'll most likely need you at home."

"I hope my delivery goes as well as Jasmine's did," Lily sighed.

"I will be right there beside you," said Beckett. "I promise."

* * *

"She's so beautiful," Jack gazed in awe at Mary Rose, who was peacefully asleep in Jasmine's arms. "I'm so proud of you, Jasmine."

"Thanks, Jack," said Jasmine, leaning into Jack's arms. She was completely and utterly fatigued, but she felt a tremendous success and happiness in her heart. She was so happy to be a mother.

"I love you," Jack smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you, too," Jasmine sighed happily.

"I've been thinking lately," said Jack.

"About what?" inquired Jasmine.

"We're parents now," Jack smiled. "So now I need to ask you something."

"Yes?" Jasmine's eyes widened. She knew what he was going to ask.

Jack took Jasmine's left hand and pulled a diamond ring from his pocket. He hovered it near her left ring finger. "Jasmine Rose Gardener, will you marry me?"

"Jack, of course I will," Jasmine smiled. She reached out and touched his face as he slipped the ring onto her finger. The morning sunlight coming in from the window made it sparkle. Jasmine leaned down and kissed her daughter's forehead. "You're going to have the best father the world has ever seen."

Jack reached out and took Mary Rose's tiny hand. She opened her beautiful blue eyes and looked him right in the eye. She stared at him with pure awe. Jack's eyes held a few tears.

"She's such a miracle," said Jasmine. "I just can't believe I'm a mother."

"It is quite extraordinary, isn't it?" Jack smiled. "As soon as you've fully recovered, we'll be married."

"Sounds like a plan," Jasmine smiled before pulling him in for a kiss.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Congrats to Jasmine for her successful delivery, and for her engagement to Jack! Next chapter, we'll have to check up on Reeve and decide his fate…


	30. Demise of the Terror's Wing

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Two**__: Sisters Apart_

**Chapter Thirty**: Demise of the _Terror's Wing_

It didn't take long for Jasmine to make a full recovery. In just over two weeks, she was back to her old self. One particular morning, she had just put Mary Rose down for a nap and was walking out on deck to see Jack, who was working at the helm. They were aboard the _Dauntless_, since the _Pearl_ had not yet been recovered.

"Good morning, darling," she cooed as she kissed his cheek.

"Good morning, love," Jack replied. "How's Mary Rose?"

"I just put her down for a nap," said Jasmine. "She's a good sleeper."

"I think she gets that from you," Jack teased. "You sleep so much that sometimes I think you're dead."

Just as Jasmine was pulling him in for a kiss, a call interrupted them.

"Sail ho!" shouted the sailor in the crow's nest. Jasmine instantly looked in the direction of the bow. Sure enough, there was a ship on the horizon. The sailor scrambled down the long ladder and approached Beckett, who was also at the helm. "Lord Beckett," he said, "We're coming up on the _Terror's Wing_."

"Finally!" Jasmine exclaimed. She then ran below deck to the cabin she shared with her sisters. "It's the _Terror's Wing_! We've found her!" The three girls instantly jumped into action. Jasmine and Holly changed from their dresses to their more comfortable shirts, pants, and vests. They helped each other tie their hair back to keep it out of their faces. Finally, they strapped their sword belts around their waists. Lily, who wouldn't be fighting due to her present condition, simply helped her sisters prepare themselves.

"Ready?" Holly asked as she fastened her sword belt.

"Ready," Jasmine replied confidently. She then leaned down and took Lily's hand. "We'll get through this. We'll take Reeve down for good."

"Go get him!" Lily smirked.

"Will do," said Jasmine just before she and Holly left the room and went back out on deck. When they got there, they saw that the _Terror's Wing_ was significantly closer.

"She's unguarded," said Holly. "She's no match for us."

"We have two of the Royal Navy's most effective warships on our side," said Jasmine.

"That's quite right, Jasmine," Norrington's voice came from behind them. "All we need to do is get the _Terror's Wing_ between the _Dauntless_ and the _Interceptor_ and we'll be all set."

"Sounds easy enough," said Jasmine.

"We've used that maneuver once before," said Holly, "When it was the _Pearl_ and the _Interceptor_ up against the _Dauntless_."

"I remember all too well," Norrington laughed a little.

"Jasmine?" Jack called out. When she looked up at him, he gestured for her to come up to the helm. Once she was there, he asked, "Are you sure you're up for the fighting?"

"Yes, Jack, I'm sure," Jasmine reassured him. "I've had my complete energy back for a few days now. I'm plenty up for it."

"Good girl," Jack smirked and gave her a quick kiss.

"They're getting closer!" Holly shouted from the main deck. "We should prepare ourselves!"

"All hands to stations!" Norrington shouted at the top of his lungs. The crew got busy doing their specific jobs. Some were below on the gun deck while others were above deck.

Holly approached Norrington. "Ready?" she asked nervously.

"As ready as I'll ever be," said Norrington. He leaned down and gave Holly a small kiss. "We're going to take this bastard down."

"I love you," said Holly with a smile, "No matter what happens."

"I love you, too," said Norrington, leaning down for another kiss. It was then that Jasmine approached them.

"Where's Beckett?" she inquired.

"He's not one for hand-to-hand combat, so he went below deck to stay with Lily," replied Holly.

"Well, the rest of us are, so we'll take care of Reeve," said Jack, who had come up to join them.

"I won't stop until my sword is piercing Reeve's black heart," declared Jasmine. She drew her sword and raised it in the air. "Who's with me?"

"I'll always fight at your side, Jasmine," said Jack, drawing his own sword and meeting hers with it.

"As will I," said Norrington, joining with his sword.

"You're my sister," said Holly, drawing her sword, "And I'll always be honored to have you at my side in battle."

"Let's do this," said Jasmine as she sheathed her sword. She went over to the railing to observe the closeness of the _Dauntless_ and her prey. The two ships were nearly within firing distance. The _Dauntless_ and the _Interceptor_ separated. They formed a V just before aligning themselves with the _Terror's Wing_.

"Fire!" Norrington commanded.

Just as the cannons began firing, the crew of the _Terror's Wing_ began to board the two ships. Reeve swung across and landed right in front of Jasmine.

"Reeve!" she snarled, whipping out her sword.

"I see you've given birth!" said Reeve as they began to duel.

"Yes, I have!" Jasmine declared proudly, "A beautiful daughter named Mary Rose!"

"A lovely name, if I do say so myself," said Reeve with a smile.

"Oh, just shut up!" Jasmine shouted. "You are _not_ a part of my daughter's life, and you never will be!"

"If you're not careful, you won't be either," Reeve snarled.

As Jasmine expertly ducked away from a heavy swing of Reeve's sword, she taunted, "Oh? I thought you loved me."

"Oh, I still do," Reeve winked, "But I know you'll never free yourselves from Sparrow's clutches, so I see no problem with you being dead."

"Well, we'll just see about that!" Jasmine shouted. She ran to the railing and climbed up into the rigging. She then took hold of the ropes and expertly swung down, kicking Reeve in the face along the way. He fell to the deck, clutching his jaw in pain. Jasmine landed right in front of him. She sheathed her sword and drew her dagger instead. "Your life ends now!" she declared, bringing the dagger close to his neck.

"Oh, really?" Reeve smirked. In a split second, he smacked the dagger out of Jasmine's hand and tackled her around the knees. He pinned her down on the deck and secured a hand around her throat. Jasmine kicked and struggled as he began to squeeze. She finally managed to secure one foot under his jaw and give a sharp kick, sending him crashing down on his back. She snatched her dagger from where it had fallen on the deck, put it back on her belt and dove down on top of Reeve. She used her knees to pin his legs down. He grabbed at the hand she had around his neck, but her rage made her too strong for him.

"You'd…kill the father of…your child?" Reeve choked out under Jasmine's strong grip. He was making no attempt to get her off.

"Don't try that on me, you son of a bitch!" Jasmine shouted back, bringing her fist down on his cheekbone. He cried out in pain. Jasmine felt a surge of determination flood through her. Before, she had been hesitant to kill Reeve. Now, there was absolutely no question in her desire to end his life.

"I…love you, Jasmine," said Reeve. Tears were flooding from his eyes, which were wide with fear.

"You raped me!" Jasmine screamed.

"I gave you a daughter!" Reeve screamed back.

"That was supposed to be Jack's doing!" shouted Jasmine. Tears were streaming from her eyes as well. Reeve had no response for that. "Let's just get this over with," Jasmine said as she drew her dagger.

"No!" Reeve cried out. A sudden surge of energy allowed him to grab Jasmine's arms and shove her away, sending her crashing down onto the deck. Ignoring her aching head and arms, she jumped back to her feet, grabbed her dagger, and charged at Reeve. She drew her arm back and thrust her dagger towards him, landing it directly in the middle of his heart.

When Reeve stopped choking and fell to the deck, Jasmine yanked her dagger from his chest, wiped the blood off on his jacket, and tucked it back into her belt. She then noticed that everyone around her, including Reeve's crew, had stopped what they were doing and were staring at her. She was bruised and covered in both Reeve's and her own blood, but she had a triumphant smile on her face.

Reeve was dead.

Reeve was finally dead, and Jasmine had killed him.

Suddenly, a cheer erupted from one of the sailors. Everyone else joined in, even some of Reeve's own crew. Holly ran up to hug her sister. Jasmine laughed as she was nearly tackled by Holly's powerful embrace. Jack came up and gave her a long kiss once Holly had let go.

"You did it!" Jack exclaimed. He lifted Jasmine into the air and twirled her around. "Jasmine, you did it!"

"It looks like he won't be bothering us anymore," said Jasmine with a heavy sigh of relief. "It's all over now."

* * *

About two weeks later, the _Dauntless_, the _Interceptor_, and the _Pearl_ all pulled into Port Royal Harbor. The _Pearl_ had been located quickly after Reeve's demise, as it had been captured by some of his followers.

Lily, now six months pregnant, and Beckett had purchased a beautiful mansion in Port Royal and were in the process of settling in. Holly and Norrington had chosen a smaller but still comfortable house less than a mile away from them and were beginning to plan their real wedding. Finally, Jasmine and Jack, newly married, were planning to settle in a small house near the coastline in Kingston, which was not too far from Port Royal. Jasmine would stay there and raise Mary Rose, while Jack would alternate one month at sea and one month at home with his wife and daughter.

The Gardener triplets were at peace…

…for now.

End of Part Two

* * *

**Author's Note**: Part Two is finally finished! I probably won't start Part Three for a while, but I will inform you that there will be a not-so-surprising change in one of our three seemingly perfect relationships. Also, I do apologize if Reeve's death was shocking, scary, or overly violent in any way. I just felt that it was the best way for Jasmine to get out the anger that she felt towards him.

Thanks for reading and reviewing, and I will start Part Three as soon as possible!


	31. Two Miracles

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplets are divided once more as they each pursue a different path in their lives. But as their relationships go through difficult times, they come to discover that their bonds of sisterhood are stronger than any other facet of their lives. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Three**__: Sisters Forever_

**Chapter Thirty-One**: Two Miracles

Exactly three months after her return to Port Royal, Lady Lily Beckett's water broke. One evening, she had been relaxing in the sitting room of the mansion she shared with her husband, Lord Cutler Beckett, when she suddenly went into labor.

"Cutler!" she called out with urgency heavy in her voice.

"Yes, darling?" Beckett rushed into the room, obviously concerned. "What is it?"

"It's time!" Lily gasped as she felt a contraction.

"Mr. Rupert, get the carriage!" Beckett ordered the butler that stood by the door. Rupert immediately began following his master's order. "You'll be alright, Lily. We're going to get you to the doctor and you'll have this baby before you know it."

Only minutes later, Beckett and Lily were seated in the carriage, speeding off to see the town doctor.

"What names did we choose again?" Lily asked her husband. She obviously knew the answer, but she was asking random questions to get her mind away from her situation.

"We settled upon Victoria Rose for a girl or Matthew Joseph for a boy," replied Beckett. He leaned down and kissed Lily's forehead. "Both lovely names, if I do say so myself."

"Every Gardener daughter for several generations has had the middle name Rose," Lily smiled.

"I think that's a lovely tradition," Beckett smiled and took her hands gently.

"We're here, sir!" the driver shouted as the carriage pulled to a stop.

"We're here, darling," Beckett whispered in Lily's ear. When the driver jumped down and opened the door, Beckett took Lily into his arms and carried her out into the breezy night air. Mere seconds passed before she was lying on the delivery table.

"Alright, Lady Beckett," Dr. Phillip Adams said gently as he gave her a quick examination. He was actually the same doctor that had delivered Jasmine's daughter. "Are you ready?"

Lily nodded and gripped Beckett's hand.

Phillip took a quick look under Lily's skirt. "You should be ready to push very soon. You're almost fully dilated." Lily could only nod. She cried out in pain as another contraction hit her. Tears spilled from her eyes. She was saying a silent prayer for her own safety as well as the safety of her child.

After several more agonizing minutes, Phillip gently touched Lily's hand. "When I reach three, I need you to push. Can you do that?"

"No!" Lily cried out, surrendering the pain.

"You need to," Phillip said somewhat sternly. Lily wanted to reach out and punch him. "One…"

"No," Lily whispered.

"Two…"

"God, no!" Lily cried out, much louder.

"Three!"

With a viselike grip on her husband's hands, Lily took a deep breath and pushed with every ounce of strength she could muster. "Good," said Phillip. "Try one more." Lily pushed again, but this time she completely failed. Every bit of strength had been completely drained from her muscles. She began to sob.

"You can do it, sweetheart," Beckett laid a gentle hand on her face. "I know you can."

"I love you," whispered Lily. Beckett replied with a kiss on her forehead. "But remember, this was _your_ doing."

"You were as equal a part of this as I was," Beckett laughed and kissed her forehead once more.

"Can you try another push?" asked Phillip.

"I…I think so," said Lily. "I'm ready." She took another deep breath and forced herself to give another hard push. The pain was unbelievable. She clenched her eyes so tightly that they actually hurt when she had the courage to open them again.

"You can do it, Lily!" Phillip encouraged her. "You can do this!"

"I can do this," Lily whispered to herself. She managed to give one last strong push before she collapsed back on the table, utterly exhausted. She then heard a cry.

"It's a girl," Phillip said with a proud smile on his face.

"You did it, Lily," Beckett leaned down and gave her a small kiss.

"Can I hold her?" Lily gazed at her beautiful new baby girl.

"Of course you may," said Phillip. He wrapped the infant up in a blanket and handed her to her mother.

"Hello there," Lily cooed when she finally had the little miracle in her arms. "Hello, Victoria."

"Victoria Rose Beckett," Beckett smiled. "A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl."

"Now, Lady Beckett," said Phillip, "Once you feel up to it, we can get you cleaned up and changed, and you can be on your way home."

"Thank you," Lily smiled. Then there was a knock on the door. Phillip went to open it.

"I'm sorry, I just finished with a delivery," he said. "Is this urgent?"

"No, it can wait," said a familiar female voice.

"Holly?" Lily caught a glimpse of her sister.

"Lily!" Holly rushed into the room and gently hugged her. "You've given birth!" She did absolutely nothing to hide her excitement.

"Yes," replied Lily. "I am the proud mother of Victoria Rose Beckett."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Holly exclaimed.

"I'm sure Mary Rose will love having a little cousin to play with," Lily smiled. Mary Rose was her sister Jasmine's daughter. "I'm actually going to be paying Jasmine a visit next week. This is one of Jack's months at sea, so I'm sure she and Mary Rose would love the company."

"That's a wonderful idea," said Holly. "I might have to go as well."

"By the way, what do you need the doctor for?" asked Lily. "I can spare him now that I'm no longer in labor."

"I have some very good news," Holly's face erupted in a broad smile.

"And what's that?" Lily raised one eyebrow. She had an educated guess as to what Holly was going to say.

"I believe that I'm pregnant!" Holly announced.

"What are your symptoms, Mrs. Norrington?" asked Phillip. He had just finished washing his hands and was putting away his supplies.

"I've experienced vomiting almost every morning for a month, and I missed my last bleed," replied Holly.

"I would definitely wager that you're with child," Phillip smiled.

"Do you really think so?" Holly was uncertain, but still excited.

"Every single young woman that has ever come to me with those symptoms has turned out to be with child," Phillip reassured her.

"Congratulations!" Lily reached over and gave her sister a loving hug. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Yes, I'm going to have a little version of James," Holly laughed.

"I'm sure he should be quite happy about that," said Beckett with a slight laugh.

"You know, I just remembered something," said Lily.

"And what's that?" asked Beckett.

"I remember, when I first found out that Holly and I were both engaged, I wondered how you and James and Captain Sparrow would all get along as brothers-in-law," Lily giggled.

"That is something to wonder about," laughed Holly.

"While it is very true that Captain Sparrow is a pirate, and I will never forgive him for that, he is married to my dear sister-in-law, so I have started to see him as a brother and as an ally," Beckett replied.

"We're all one big family now," Holly smiled.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Wow, I originally thought the start of Part Three would have to wait a while, but that turns out not to be the case. Well, congrats to Lily for her safe delivery, and also to Holly for her new pregnancy!


	32. Baby Days

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplets are divided once more as they each pursue a different path in their lives. But as their relationships go through difficult times, they come to discover that their bonds of sisterhood are stronger than any other facet of their lives. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Three**__: Sisters Forever_

**Chapter Thirty-Two**: Baby Days

"They're so cute together," Jasmine mused as she watched Mary Rose and Victoria playing together in the sitting room of Jasmine's new house.

"They are, aren't they?" Lily laughed. "Victoria's birth was quite the ordeal, but it was all worth it. I'd gladly do it ten times more if it meant I could have more children as beautiful as she is."

"I just can't believe the three of us are all finally married," said Jasmine, taking a long sip from her teacup.

"I'm feeling the same way," said Lily. "I thought Holly and James would just court for a while but never end up married. I thought Cutler and I would never marry after his vendetta against you. Above all, I had to admit that I was doubting that you would ever find true love."

"Don't worry about it," said Jasmine. "I was thinking the same thing. Meeting Jack was an utter miracle for me. If Captain Barbossa had never kidnapped me, then I would never have met Jack. None of us would ever have gone out to sea. You and Holly would have been married much sooner, and I would probably still be the same depressed, loveless young woman that I was before I met Jack."

"And if Reeve had never kidnapped you, then Mary Rose would never have been born," Lily pointed out.

"That's right, I would have had my first child with Jack instead," said Jasmine. Then she breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm just so glad that he's finally dead."

"We spent almost a year searching for him before he was finally caught," said Lily.

"But I've been thinking lately," Jasmine took on a more sorrowful tone of voice, "After I killed him, I felt proud and victorious. But lately I've been feeling almost guilty about it. He was a horrible man. Yes, he brought Mary Rose into my life, but he did so by way of rape and abuse. I still carry scars from that night, both physical and emotional."

"It's always hard to end a life," said Lily in a comforting voice. She reached over and held Jasmine's hand. "It's never in our hands to decide a person's fate. It's in God's hands."

"If I had let him live, he would still be coming after me today," Jasmine sighed. "And when Mary Rose is old enough, I'll have to tell her the truth of her real father and how he died."

"I'm sure you'll find the right time to tell her," Lily smiled reassuringly.

Jasmine smiled weakly before putting her empty cup back on the tea tray for the maid to pick up. While Jack was at sea, she managed a small sugar cane farm, which gave her enough money to afford a maid. It also gave her something to focus on whenever Jack wasn't at home.

Once Fiona, the maid, came to pick up the tea tray, Jasmine got up and sat on the floor with the girls. Lily did the same. Just as Jasmine was picking up Mary Rose, the infant began to cry. "What's wrong, sweetie?" Jasmine cooed. Mary Rose began to tug on Jasmine's breast. It was her signal for when she wanted to be fed. Laughing, Jasmine unbuttoned her dress and brought Mary Rose to her breast. She instantly stopped crying. Victoria seemed to have learned the same trick, since she did the exact same thing to Lily.

"I swear, these two are learning from each other," Lily admired as she gently stroked Victoria's angelic blonde hair.

"They spend so much time together," said Jasmine. "You two visit almost weekly."

"I think it's the best way to raise a child," said Lily. "Letting them spend time with other young children like them. Mary Rose and Victoria are more sisters than cousins, in my opinion."

"Soon, Holly's baby will join the group, followed by any future children any of us have," Jasmine smiled.

"Cutler and I are planning for at least one more baby, maybe two," said Lily.

"Jack and I are trying for another child as well," Jasmine added. Mary Rose had finished feeding, so she buttoned her dress back up.

"That's wonderful," said Lily. "It would be nice for the two of you to have children of your own."

"I can only imagine what Victoria and Mary Rose will be like as teenagers," said Jasmine with a small laugh.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," declared Lily. "Right now, I just want to enjoy the fact that they're adorable, peaceful babies."

"I second that," said Jasmine. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Seconds later, Fiona came into the sitting room.

"Lady Beckett, your carriage has arrived," she said with a slight curtsy before she left the room.

"I guess it's time for me to go," said Lily. She scooped Victoria up into her arms. "Say bye-bye, Mary Rose."

Victoria giggled and waved her arms around wildly as if she were saying goodbye. Both Lily and Jasmine erupted into fits of laughter.

"Goodbye, Jasmine," Lily gave her sister a loving hug. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Count on it," said Jasmine before Lily walked to the front door. She waved goodbye one more time before climbing into the carriage that would take her home.

* * *

The carriage ride from Kingston to Port Royal took a number of hours. Lily fell asleep along the way and had to be woken up by the driver.

"Lily, you're back," Beckett greeted his wife with a kiss when she entered the sitting room of their mansion. "How was your visit?" he asked as he gently took Victoria into his arms.

"Adorable," Lily laughed. "Victoria and Mary Rose are as close as sisters."

"Well, I'm glad," said Beckett. "I'm happy that my niece and daughter are getting along so well."

"She's such a peaceful little baby, isn't she?" Lily admired towards Victoria, who had fallen asleep in her father's arms.

"She certainly is," said Beckett, rocking Victoria gently. "She hardly ever cries, unless she gets hurt, and even then she only cries for a few minutes."

Victoria woke up quickly and began to tug on Lily's breast. Lily opened her dress and began nursing her. Beckett moved from the chair he had been sitting in so he could sit next to Lily on the couch. He then surprised Lily with a kiss.

"What was that for?" Lily asked playfully.

"I love you," Beckett answered simply before kissing her again. Victoria stared intently at her parents kissing before falling asleep again, this time with her head on Lily's chest.

"Come on, let's get her up to bed," whispered Lily. She handed Victoria off to Beckett while she refastened her dress. The couple then carried the infant up the grand staircase and into her nursery. Beckett gently laid her down in the crib, tucked her in, and kissed her delicate forehead.

Lily let out a big, happy sigh as she linked arms with Beckett and walked down the hall to the room they shared. "What?" Beckett smirked.

"I'm just so happy to be a mother," said Lily in a dreamy voice as she lay down on the bed. Beckett sat down beside her and began to play with her hair. "We are quite a lovely couple, if I do say so myself."

"I would have to agree with you there," Beckett smiled. Lily sat back up and grinned mischievously.

"I've even been known to brag about you to my friends," she said playfully.

"You do _not_!" Beckett grinned and pulled her into a fierce kiss. When he let go, Lily's lipstick had smudged and her hair was slightly tangled.

"I do, too," said Lily, nuzzling his neck. "And I have every right to brag. You are a wonderful husband and an even more wonderful father." It was then that Beckett let go of her and got a distant look in his eyes, almost as if he was feeling regret. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" asked Lily, concerned. She gently wrapped her arms around her husband's shoulders.

"Nothing," said Beckett, "Just a slight touch of headache. That's all."

"Well, then, let's go to bed," said Lily. "I'm sure it will be gone in the morning."

"I sure hope so," said Beckett.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Now, this chapter does not have very much effect on the overall plot (mostly just motherly fluff between Lily and Jasmine and marital fluff between Lily and Beckett) until the very end. What's wrong with Beckett? Well, we'll find out soon enough.


	33. Marital Drama

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplets are divided once more as they each pursue a different path in their lives. But as their relationships go through difficult times, they come to discover that their bonds of sisterhood are stronger than any other facet of their lives. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Three**__: Sisters Forever_

**Chapter Thirty-Three**: Marital Drama

About two weeks later, Lily had returned to her full strength, so she decided to pay her husband a surprise visit while he was at work.

"Lily!" Beckett called out from his desk as she entered his office. "What a pleasant surprise!" He got up and crossed the room to give her a kiss.

"Victoria almost wouldn't let me leave to come see you," Lily laughed.

"Well, I think we might want to make these midday visits a regular thing," said Beckett. He went to a small table and poured a glass of liquor for himself and a glass of water for Lily. During her pregnancy, Lily had lost her liking for any sort of alcoholic beverages, so she mainly drank water and juice.

"I would have to agree with you there," said Lily. "I walked here instead of taking the carriage, and the fresh air did me a world of good."

"Just don't over-exert yourself," Beckett warned her gently. "If you ever feel tired or weak, you should definitely take at least a short rest."

"Trust me, I'm very careful with my well-being now that I have a husband and a daughter to live for," said Lily. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Two soldiers entered, holding the arms of a handcuffed prisoner.

"Lord Beckett, sir," said one of the soldiers, "we have captured this man. He was attempting to commandeer the _Dauntless_."

"Very well," said Beckett. "Bring him in." The soldiers brought the man into the room and sat him down across the desk from Beckett, who had sat back down. "Now, young man," Beckett began, "you have just committed a heinous crime."

"I'm sure you've done worse in your lifetime," the man scoffed, "Personally branding every pirate that comes your way."

"You seem oddly familiar," said Beckett. "What is your name?"

"Lionel Williams," the man replied.

"Wait…" Lily cut in and approached him.

"Lily, I must ask you to keep out of this," Beckett said sternly.

Ignoring her husband, Lily continued, "I remember you! You were the man that rescued my sister. Remember Jasmine Gardener?"

"I freed her from the very clutches of this man here," Lionel angrily gestured at Beckett.

"And you turned to piracy?" Lily asked. Beckett sighed and leaned back in his chair, surrendering to Lily's interjection.

"Yes," Lionel nodded. "It was my only choice. The Royal Navy received word of my betrayal, and they stripped me of my ranking. I spent some time in prison before escaping and turning to piracy."

"I'm sure Jasmine would be happy to see that you're alright," said Lily with a small smile.

"That's not going to happen," declared Beckett.

"And why not?" Lily folded her arms angrily.

"This man is a pirate," said Beckett. His voice was rising. "He will be tried and hanged for his crimes."

"I won't let that happen," Lily said boldly. "I would be willing to bet that this man has done nothing truly wrong."

"He tried to commandeer a ship of the Royal Fleet!" Beckett shouted.

"I would have done exactly the same if I were ever in his situation!" Lily fired back. "He was stripped of his title and his reputation for essentially saving Jasmine's life!"

"I'm well aware of that, Lily," said Beckett. "But at that time, your sister was considered a criminal. I was doing my duty by capturing her."

"You threatened your practically sister with death for following her heart!" Lily shouted.

"She's a pirate!" shouted Beckett. A cold silence then fell over the couple. Lionel was casually picking his fingernails as if he hadn't heard anything.

"Well, if that's the way you feel about her, then I have accomplished absolutely nothing," said Lily. "Good day, Lord Beckett," she said coldly before turning on her heel and striding quickly from the office. As she walked home, tears flooded her eyes. There was a crushing nagging in her heart that she had just lost her husband. Although they had just been through one of their first real fights as a couple, she still loved him very dearly. However, he might have lost some of his feelings for her.

* * *

When Lily was finally home, she took Victoria into her arms, sat down on the floor of the nursery, and cried her heart out. Victoria, instead of joining in her mother's tears, simply reached up and touched Lily's face with her tiny hand.

"I love you, darling," Lily whispered.

"Ah!" Victoria giggled. Just the simple, utterly adorable smile on the infant's face was enough to comfort Lily.

"I love you so much," said Lily, leaning down to kiss her daughter's forehead. Victoria smiled and let out a small coo, almost like that of a dove. Right then, Lily knew that everything would be alright, as long as she had her precious daughter safely in her arms.

* * *

"Lily?"

Lily looked up to see Beckett standing in the doorway. He took in her tearstained face and tangled hair and sat down beside her on the floor. He cautiously wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "Lily, I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"I shouldn't have gotten in your way," Lily admitted. "I love you." She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I love you, too, Lily," said Beckett. "Now, let's get you to bed so that you can rest." Without another word, he gently set Victoria back in the crib and lifted Lily effortlessly into his arms. It was just a short journey down the hallway before he set her down gently in their bed.

"I thought I was going to lose you," said Lily. Beckett had been walking out of the room, but he stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"You'll never lose me, Lily," Beckett smiled.

"Come here," Lily reached out with both arms. Beckett reentered the room and sat down beside her on the bed. Lily gently took both his hands in hers. "Stay with me for a while."

"Anything for you, my dear," Beckett leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss. He then softly stroked her forehead and hair. "I really am sorry for yelling at you like that."

"It's normal," said Lily, trying to brush it off. "All couples fight. Even Holly and James fight."

"I just hope we never have to go through it again," said Beckett. "Every time we fight, I feel like I'm going to lose you. Then we settle the dispute and we're picture-perfect again. But something is always nagging in my heart when we're at peace. I always feel like another fight is bound to happen, no matter what I do to try and prevent it."

"I feel the same way, my dear Cutler," said Lily. "Just know that I love you through each and every argument and fight that we have."

"I will always love you, Lily," said Beckett. Lily sat up and gave him a long, loving hug. She let go a little, but she still stayed in his arms.

"I think I might have to take a short nap," said Lily. "Whenever we fight, it just saps all the energy from me. Now, you should go back to work. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Beckett raised one eyebrow.

"Yes, you handsome devil, I'm sure," Lily giggled and pulled him into a playful kiss. "Maybe when you get back tonight we can start planning for our next baby."

"I can't wait," said Beckett as he got up off the bed. He blew Lily a kiss at the threshold just before he slipped out of view.

* * *

Lily was still sleeping went Beckett came home from work several hours later. "That must have been some fight," he chuckled when she woke up.

"Not really," said Lily as she sat up in bed. "I'm just still a little tired from having the baby. And I'm taking your advice: rest when I think I need it."

"Good girl," Beckett praised her. He then went to the clothes press and removed his overcoat, frock coat, wig, and boots. When he was more comfortable, he sat back down next to Lily. "Are you sure you're alright from our little argument?"

"Yes, I'm sure," said Lily, pretending to be annoyed. She loved how Beckett was always asking questions regarding her well-being. It showed that he genuinely cared about her and that he was truly meant to be her companion. "But thank you for asking."

"Ever since the day I found out that you were carrying our child, I knew right then and there that I truly loved you and had to protect you," said Beckett.

"Well, that's good," said Lily. "It shows that we were meant for each other."

"I love you, Lily."

"I love you, too."

* * *

**Author's Note**: one of my main focuses with Part Three will be to concentrate more on the utterly romantic aspects of each of our three relationships. Please let me know if things seem to be getting too sappy or overly-romantic…sometimes I get carried away. Also, so far I'm thinking of making Part Three more stay-at-home oriented, with less time spent on the high seas, so let me know what you think of that plan.


	34. A Mother's Uncertainty

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplets are divided once more as they each pursue a different path in their lives. But as their relationships go through difficult times, they come to discover that their bonds of sisterhood are stronger than any other facet of their lives. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Three**__: Sisters Forever_

**Chapter Thirty-Four**: A Mother's Uncertainty

Jack was due back home in two days. Jasmine was getting anxious waiting for him, so she decided to pay Holly a visit to get her mind off of everything.

"Jasmine!" Holly exclaimed when her sister walked into the sitting room, where she had been taking her afternoon tea.

"Good afternoon, Holly," said Jasmine. She used one arm to hug Holly while the other arm balanced Mary Rose on her hip.

"Oh, there's my little niece!" Holly gently lifted Mary Rose into her arms.

"So I hear you're coming along nicely," said Jasmine as the two women took a seat on the sitting room couch.

"I sure am," said Holly. But something in her voice didn't quite convince Jasmine. She was folding her hands quite tightly, and her words were slightly higher pitched than normal.

"You're not a very good liar," Jasmine shook her head. She knew her sister very well. "What's going on?"

"Oh, alright," Holly sighed. "I had a bleeding episode last week, and there was a lot of pain involved."

"Was it like your normal cycle?" Jasmine asked, her voice heavy with concern. "Could it mean that you were never pregnant to begin with?"

"It was definitely not my normal cycle," Holly sighed again. "I think it might be a miscarriage."

"Oh, no." Jasmine gently wrapped her arms around Holly. Mary Rose, possibly sensing the sadness between them, began to cry. Jasmine took the baby back into her arms and rocked her gently against her chest. "But didn't the same thing happen to Lily? She ended up just fine."

"That's what I was thinking," said Holly. "But I haven't even told James yet. That's what really worries me."

"Oh, my," Jasmine sighed. "That _is_ a problem. Well, you should definitely tell him. Secrets are the ruination of all good marriages. It's what almost killed Lily and Cutler's relationship."

"But they're much closer, now that they have a baby," Holly pointed out.

"Let's just hope it stays that way," said Jasmine, not thoroughly convinced. "I still don't completely trust that man."

"Why not?" asked Holly. She tried to busy herself by two new cups of tea, one for herself and one for Jasmine.

"After what he did to me, I don't think I'll ever completely trust him again," Jasmine shuddered. She held Mary Rose a little more tightly, as if to protect her.

"That makes sense," said Holly. "Father _did_ choose him for her, but something tells me that he only ever saw what he wanted to see in Cutler. I don't think they ever got to know each other very well." She took a nervous sip from her teacup.

"Well, it may not be a match made in heaven, but they do seem happy together," said Jasmine, trying to wrap up the subject. "Victoria's birth definitely brought them closer."

"Now let's just hope that I can muster up the courage to break the bad news to James," Holly sighed.

"I know you can do it," Jasmine gave her sister an encouraging smile. "You've always been a dreamer, looking for true love, but you're still a strong minded and very confident young woman. Those long months at sea have done their magic on all of us."

"I guess you're right," said Holly. She then took on a more playful tone, "I guess I've picked up your pessimistic attitude."

"Hey!" Jasmine reached over and gave her a gentle shove. "For your information, _Jack_ was the one that got rid of that for me."

"Yes, but once it was gone from you, it needed a new home, so I guess it chose me," Holly laughed. Laughter always made her feel better when she was upset.

"I've always put my confidence in you and Lily, and that's not about to change anytime soon," said Jasmine.

"I've come to realize lately that we used to be so different, but we actually have more in common than we originally thought," said Holly.

"We're all mothers now," said Jasmine. "That's a likely cause of it." Holly started to say something, but Jasmine cut her off. "Yes, you _will_ be a mother, too. And don't try to deny it." That brought one of the happiest smiles to Holly's face that Jasmine had ever seen.

* * *

Once Jasmine left for home to put Mary Rose down for bed, Holly began rehearsing what she would say to her husband. Norrington was a military man, and a high-ranking officer, so he could handle the toughest of duties, but he also had a sensitive heart that broke easily. Holly couldn't bear to tell him that they had possibly their first child together.

"I can do this," she whispered to herself as she saw him walking up the cobblestone path to their house. However, when she heard him open the door, all the courage she had prepared for herself was gone in an instant. "Hello, darling," she gave Norrington her usual greeting, along with a hug and a loving kiss.

"What's wrong?" he asked immediately, probably noticing her pale face and the general fear he could sense from her.

"I need to tell you something," she said sternly, taking his hand and bringing him into the sitting room. Once they were both comfortably seated and had each other's full attention, Holly took Norrington's hands. "I have something _very_ important to tell you."

"I'm listening," said Norrington, with nothing but seriousness in his voice.

"Last week, I had an episode of pain and bleeding," said Holly. She held his hands a little more tightly. "Originally, I thought that maybe it was a fluke and I was never pregnant at all, but I went to doctor while you were at work one day. He gave me a very careful examination and assured me that, yes, I am pregnant, but that…but that…" She couldn't finish her sentence. Her breath came out in gasps and she began to cry. Norrington was quick to wrap her up in his arms and lay her head against his heart.

"It's alright, sweetheart," he whispered softly.

"No, it's not!" Holly cried. "We may have lost the baby!"

"I know, sweetheart," said Norrington. "I know." His voice began to break. His tears began to mix with his wife's. "You didn't tell me."

"I'm sorry!" Holly whined. "I was just so scared!"

"What were you scared about?" Norrington asked gently.

"I was scared that you would leave me!" Holly sobbed. "I was scared that you would think it was my fault that we lost the baby! I just thought you would leave me if I told you!"

"Holly, listen to me," said Norrington sternly. He took her face in his hands and looked straight into her tear-filled eyes. "Nothing in the entire _world_ could make me leave you. I _love_ you, with all my heart. Even if we had lost eight children, I would still be here at your side. I'll never leave your side."

"Thank you, James," Holly said in a weak voice. She leaned back into his chest. He once more wrapped her up in his gentle arms.

"We'll just have to wait and see," Norrington said. "But we will _not_ lose hope. Promise me now."

"I promise," whispered Holly, managing a small smile. She lifted her head just long enough to kiss her husband on the cheek. "What would I do without you?"

"I should be asking you the same question," said Norrington, laughing a little. "Now, let me get you up to bed."

"Thank you," said Holly. She eagerly allowed Norrington to lift her up off of the couch and carry her upstairs to their bedroom. She sighed gratefully when he gently set her down on the bed.

"You've had a rough few days," said Norrington. "You should stay in bed for a while. I'll have the maid bring something up for you."

"Thank you, James," Holly smiled.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Again, mostly sisterly fluff, but now we've discovered that Holly's pregnancy is in grave danger. Let's hope she pulls through like Lily did.


	35. Uneasy Return

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplets are divided once more as they each pursue a different path in their lives. But as their relationships go through difficult times, they come to discover that their bonds of sisterhood are stronger than any other facet of their lives. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Three**__: Sisters Forever_

**Chapter Thirty-Five**: Uneasy Return

Jasmine was sleeping the next night, curled up on Jack's side of the bed, when she suddenly woke up. She listened carefully but didn't hear any strange noises. She got out of bed and looked out the window, but she didn't see anything unusual outside. Finally, she figured that something must have been wrong with Mary Rose.

Within seconds, Jasmine was in her daughter's room. To her great relief, Mary Rose was still peacefully asleep in her crib. Her breathing was normal, and she in no way appeared to be ill. Jasmine sighed with relief, tucked the blankets more tightly around her, and gave her forehead a tiny kiss before leaving the room. However, when she was back out in the hallway, she heard another noise. She crept quietly to the top of the staircase and listened.

Someone was definitely rattling around in one of the rooms downstairs.

"Fiona?" Jasmine called out. "Is that you?"

"Who's Fiona?" an unfamiliar male voice called back.

"Oh, God!" Jasmine whispered in fright. At that moment, her instincts kicked in. As quickly as her legs would carry her, she ran back into the nursery, scooped Mary Rose up into her arms, and ran back to bedroom. Once she had safely locked and bolted the door, she went to her desk and pulled out a sheet of parchment and a quill.

_Dear Jack_, she wrote. _If you are reading this, it means that I have been kidnapped. During the night, I heard an intruder in the house. I tried to fight, but they took both me and Mary Rose. Pray for our safety, and we will stay strong. I love you. Jasmine._

Just as Jasmine was kissing the bottom of the parchment for luck and tucking it under Jack's pillow, someone began pounding on the door. She hid Mary Rose away in the clothes press just as the door burst open.

"What do you want?" Jasmine snarled. She didn't have the slightest hint of fear in her anymore. All she felt was a tremendous instinct to protect her daughter and herself.

"Jasmine Gardener," the man spat out. "You killed my master."

"Your master?" Jasmine raised one eyebrow. She then ducked expertly across the room and grabbed her sword from where it hung on the wall. The man was unarmed.

"The former Admiral Reeve," said the man.

"Oh," Jasmine taunted. "That git. He deserved the death I gave him."

"He was a great leader!" shouted the man.

"He was a worthless bastard!" Jasmine retaliated. "He was an absolutely horrible man that deserved to die!"

"You'll pay for your words!" With that, the man lunged at her. Jasmine maneuvered her blade so that he ended up clenching it in his fists, completely slicing open his palms. "You bitch!" he cried out, obviously in a great deal of pain.

"That's just the beginning!" Jasmine declared, taking another swing. This time it landed on his throat, killing him nearly instantly. "Thank God," she sighed when it was all over.

* * *

Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief when she could toss the precautionary letter she had written to Jack into the fire. Fiona and one of the farm hands had helped her dispose of the body and clean up the blood. However, she was nervous about leaving Mary Rose alone in the nursery, so she slept on the couch in the sitting room, with the baby safely in her arms.

Several hours later, Jasmine woke up to bright morning sunshine and her favorite feeling in the entire world: Jack's lips on hers.

"Good morning, love," he smiled. "Why aren't you upstairs in bed where you should be?"

"It's kind of a long story," said Jasmine, right before she yawned heavily. Jack helped her sit up. "There was an intruder in the house last night."

"Are you hurt? Is Mary Rose hurt?" Jack's eyes widened in panic.

"Sweetheart, calm down," Jasmine ordered gently. She took her husband's face in her hands. "We're both _fine_. I took care of him."

"That's my girl," Jack leaned in for a quick kiss.

"But there's something else…" Jasmine worried aloud.

"What?" Jack took Mary Rose into his gentle arms.

"He was one of Reeve's followers," said Jasmine. She took Jack's hand with worry heavy in her heart.

"So? Reeve's dead," Jack said casually.

"I know, but I just have an odd feeling about this," Jasmine sighed.

"Can I give you something to get your mind off of it?" Jack smirked.

"Of course," said Jasmine, leaning into him.

"I had this made for you while I was away," said Jack. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a red velvet box. Jasmine opened it to reveal a beautifully faceted gold heart pendent. When she turned it over, she saw 'Jack, Jasmine, and Mary Rose' engraved on the back.

"It's beautiful!" Jasmine sighed happily.

"Just like you," Jack leaned down and kissed her neck. "Let me put it on you." Jasmine took Mary Rose from Jack and pulled her hair out of the way so he could fasten the chain around her neck.

"Is that…blood on your neck?" Jack squinted at Jasmine's throat. He rubbed the area with his finger, which came away covered in flakes of dark red. "It _is_ blood."

"It must have come from the attacker," said Jasmine.

"Did he threaten Mary Rose?" Jack panicked, holding his daughter a little tighter.

"No," Jasmine shook her head firmly. "I got Mary Rose hidden very quickly. He probably doesn't even know she exists."

"Good," said Jack. "I just can't bear the thought of something happening to either of you while I'm away."

"Then maybe you should stay here all the time," Jasmine suggested. "We could buy more land and increase the size of the farm so that you won't have to bring in our income from pirating."

"That sounds like a plan," said Jack. "While I'll definitely still be going out to sea once in a while, it won't be nearly as often or last nearly as long. Besides, I miss my favorite girls too much when I'm away at sea." Mary Rose gave her nursing signal, so Jasmine took care of her. Jack took the opportunity to surprise Jasmine with a kiss. "I'll always be here for the two of you," he promised.

The couple began to kiss again, but Jasmine's heart was still unsettled. She had a nagging feeling that something would happen…something that would put her entire family in danger.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Ouch, we thought that Jasmine was out of the woods when she killed Reeve. Well, apparently not…at least not yet.


	36. Lily the Bold

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplets are divided once more as they each pursue a different path in their lives. But as their relationships go through difficult times, they come to discover that their bonds of sisterhood are stronger than any other facet of their lives. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Three**__: Sisters Forever_

**Chapter Thirty-Six**: Lily the Bold

With her husband back at his office to deal with some crisis management, Lily was alone in the house. She tossed and turned in bed that night, unable to get Lionel Williams off her mind. She owed him her life for rescuing her beloved sister from Reeve's raping clutches, and if it hadn't been for him, Jasmine would have ended up either dead or married to the vilest man Lily had ever met.

"He's a pirate," Lily whispered aloud. She was trying to convince herself to join Beckett's team, but she simply couldn't. Yes, of course she knew Lionel was a pirate, but she and both her sisters had had their own stints in the trade of piracy. Above all, Jasmine was still officially marked as a pirate due to her marriage to Jack.

"I have to do something about this," Lily finally decided. She was not going to let an innocent man die for something she probably would have done herself if she were in the same situation. She was going to make sure that Jasmine had at least one more chance to see the man who had saved her future.

Lily got out of bed and hurried to her clothes press. As quickly as she could, she changed from her nightgown into a simple dress. Rather than wake up her attendants at such an ungodly hour of the night, she dressed quickly and threw her hair into a simple bun. She then tiptoed down the hall to Victoria's nursery.

"I love you, my little angel," she whispered. As she gazed down at her precious daughter sleeping, she couldn't help but release a single tear from her eyes. She loved the little girl with every fiber of her being, and she knew that Victoria was with an absolutely wonderful set of parents. Although Lily and Beckett had had their shortcomings, she knew that she loved him and she knew that he tried his best to keep her and his daughter happy.

Adopting a completely no-nonsense attitude, Lily threw on her riding cloak, marched straight to her personal stable, and mounted her horse. Seconds later, she was riding as fast as was safe, straight to Port Royal's prison. She probably wouldn't be able to free Lionel tonight, but she would at least make sure she had a chance to talk to him.

"Lady Beckett!" the guard exclaimed when she marched straight up to the heavy prison door. "I'm surprised to see you here, let alone at this time of night!"

"I need to speak to a prisoner by the name of Lionel Williams," Lily said firmly.

"Of-of course!" the guard stuttered. He and his partner hurried to open the door and let Lily in.

"Why must you speak with him so urgently?" the guard asked as he led Lily along the dark, torch-lit corridors.

"I have a feeling he was withholding some much needed information during my husband's interrogation of him," Lily lied. "I have had dealings with him in the past, so he's more likely to converse with me."

"I understand, Lady Beckett," said the guard. "Well, here we are." They came to a stop in front of none other than Lionel's cell. Lily cracked a small smile when she saw her friend sleeping peacefully in the far corner. "If you need anything, just give a shout."

"Thank you, sir," said Lily. She then knelt right into the dirt in front of the bars. "Lionel?" she called out softly.

"…huh?" came the man's groggy voice.

"Lionel, wake up!" Lily whispered loudly.

"Lily?" Lionel couldn't seem to believe his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you," said Lily as Lionel pulled himself up to the other side of the bars.

"About what?" Lionel asked with a sad smile. "Giving me a last bit of comfort before I'm sent to the gallows?"

"Not exactly," said Lily. "If possible, I want to get you out of here."

"What are you talking about?" Lionel shook his head in disbelief. "Your husband would hang you right next to me if he were to find out."

"My husband wouldn't do that to me," Lily insisted firmly.

"Well, I'd rather not argue under the circumstances, so how do you plan on doing this?" asked Lionel.

"You haven't been officially convicted yet," Lily pointed out, "so that gives us at least another week. Ultimately, I want to break you out of here, bring you to Jasmine's home for safekeeping, and eventually get you back out to sea, maybe even back to England."

"Jasmine?" Lionel's face brightened a little. "How has she been?"

"She's wonderful, thanks to you," said Lily with a smile of her own. "She and Mary Rose are just fine. I bring Victoria to visit them every week."

"That's wonderful," said Lionel. "I just hope this can all work out."

"So do I," said Lily. "You saved an innocent woman from my husband's ultimately unjust rule. I would like to be able to show you the same kindness." Then, she sighed.

"What?" asked Lionel.

"With every passing day, I realize more and more how cruel my husband truly can be," Lily said sadly, getting a little choked up.

"No one is perfect in this world, Lily," said Lionel.

"I love him with all my heart, but I know in that same heart that he really isn't as perfect for me as I thought he was," said Lily.

"Wasn't it your father who arranged your marriage to him?" asked Lionel.

"Yes, it was," said Lily. "I always told myself that Cutler was his last gift to me."

"That's a nice way of looking at it," said Lionel.

"He was perfect for me back then," said Lily. "But now, we're _far_ from a match made in heaven."

"Do the two of you fight?" asked Lionel. "Besides that time when I was arrested, of course."

"Not really," said Lily. "We disagree from time to time, but I know when to back off and give him his space. I like to avoid conflict whenever possible."

"Why do you no longer think he's so perfect for you?" Lionel asked patiently.

"When we were first together, I was terrified of the world," Lily admitted. "I couldn't stand the thought of making such important decisions by myself, so I needed a more powerful presence in my life that could do it for me." Lionel nodded in understanding, so she continued. "But then, I went to sea to search for Jasmine after she went missing, and everything changed. I began to take more charge of my own life and make my own decisions. I even went quite blatantly against Cutler several times because I didn't want him to be controlling me."

"And now you two have a baby together," Lionel pointed out. "He will always have that hold over you."

"That's very true," Lily sighed. "We always have Victoria to bond us together, and that's what scares me the most. It's like if I do anything wrong, he always has that hold over me and he can always control me because I couldn't bear to lose my daughter."

"So you've… never considered leaving him?" Lionel asked cautiously.

"What are you talking about? Of course I've considered leaving him," said Lily. "But I would either have to leave Victoria with him and miss her terribly… or take her with me and subsequently hurt him."

"From my experience under your husband's employment, it seems that he is almost incapable of caring for another human being," said Lionel. "He rules with an iron fist and an ice-cold demeanor."

"Oh, don't I know it," said Lily. Then, she straightened up and looked Lionel right in the eye. "That's it. I'm going to get you out of here."

"That's wonderful to hear," Lionel said with a smile.

"_And_ I already have an idea to make it work," said Lily.

"Tell me," said Lionel.

"I'm due to visit Jasmine tomorrow," Lily announced. "This is one of Jack's months at home instead of at sea, so the two of them could definitely summon up a few people to help us."

"Lily… I don't know how to thank you," Lionel said, his voice trailing down to a whisper.

"Lionel, you did our family an immense kindness when we were mere strangers to each other," said Lily. "We owe you our very lives."

* * *

"Lily!" Jasmine exclaimed when she opened the door and saw her sister standing on the porch. "It's so wonderful to see you, as always."

"The pleasure is all mine," Lily said, greeting her sister with a one-armed hug while the other arm balanced Victoria on her hip.

"Well, come in, of course!" Jasmine stepped aside to allow Lily into the house.

"Is Jack here?" Lily inquired.

"Yes, of course," said Jasmine. "He's here for three more weeks before going back out to sea. Why? Do you need him?"

"Well, there's a matter that I would like to discuss with both of you," Lily said, walking into the sitting room.

"Did I hear my name?" asked Jack.

"Hello, Jack," Lily said, giving him a hug as well. She set Victoria down on the floor with Mary Rose so the two girls could play together.

"So, what did you want to discuss with us?" asked Jasmine as she, Jack, and Lily all took seats on the sitting room's chairs. The tone of her voice screamed that she could sense something was wrong.

"Well, it's not exactly a pleasant matter," Lily began.

"What's wrong?" asked Jack.

"Well, Jasmine, you obviously remember Lionel Williams," said Lily.

"Yes, of course," said Jasmine. "How could I forget? He saved me from Reeve."

"Yes, well, he has recently come under my husband's custody," said Lily.

"Oh, my God," Jasmine breathed.

"That son of a bitch," Jack snarled.

"Yes," said Lily. "Lionel is being charged with acts of piracy, and as you very well know, piracy leads to hanging, especially when my husband gets involved."

"What can we do?" Jasmine wondered aloud. As if to protect her, she lifted Mary Rose back into her arms. Lily did the same with Victoria.

"I have a plan, but it's risky," said Lily.

"You're going to bust him out." Jack's smile was devious. Lily could really see the pirate in him.

"Well, yes, but I can't do it alone," said Lily. "Jack, I was hoping you could find a few willing individuals to help us out."

"Damn right I can," said Jack.

"I certainly would enjoy seeing Lionel again," Jasmine said, brightening up a little bit. "I barely even got a chance to save him."

"How soon can we be ready?" asked Lily.

"Tomorrow night," Jasmine declared. "We'll rustle up some of Jack's crew and be ready before nightfall tomorrow."

"Don't worry, Lily," said Jack. "We'll make this work."

"One more thing," said Lily, holding Victoria a little tighter. "Can… Victoria and I stay with you tonight? I just… don't like the thought of going back to my husband right now."

"Absolutely," said Jasmine. "Our home is always welcome to you."

"I really appreciate it," said Lily, reaching over and holding her sister's hand.

"And I know something's wrong when you start calling him 'my husband' instead of his proper name," said Jasmine. "But don't worry. Your family is always here for you."

* * *

**Author's Note**: First updates in over a year! Wow, this feels good! Anyway, congrats to Lily for taking charge once more! Next chapter, we'll maybe check in on Holly and Norrington…


	37. The Great Divide

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplets are divided once more as they each pursue a different path in their lives. But as their relationships go through difficult times, they come to discover that their bonds of sisterhood are stronger than any other facet of their lives. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Three**__: Sisters Forever_

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**: The Great Divide

After an uneasy night, Lily and Jasmine decided to take a carriage back to Port Royal to pay a visit to Holly. For the sake of convenience, they had left Victoria and Mary Rose back at Jasmine's farmhouse. In order to keep Beckett from becoming suspicious when she didn't return home, Lily had sent a messenger to say that she wasn't feeling well and would be staying at Jasmine's house for a couple days until she recovered. Ultimately, Lily and Jasmine wanted all three sisters to have equal awareness of their quite risky plan.

"Now," Lily began once all three women were comfortably seated in Holly's sitting room, "before we get down to business, I want some news about you and your baby."

"Oh." Holly seemed stunned. "I was hoping it wouldn't come at me so bluntly."

"Is the news pleasant?" asked Jasmine.

"You know you can tell us anything," said Lily.

"I know," said Holly. "And I really don't know how the baby is doing."

"Have you bled again?" asked Jasmine.

"No," said Holly. "And I've still been quite nauseous lately."

Lily's face immediately brightened up. "Then, I would wager that you have nothing to worry about."

"Cheer up!" said Jasmine. "You and your baby are going to be just fine."

"Maybe you'll even have mini versions of us in the form of triplets," Lily joked.

"Well, wouldn't that be something!" Holly couldn't hide the massive smile on her face. "But now I would like to discuss this plan of yours. From the looks on your faces when you arrived, it doesn't appear to be tremendously pleasant."

"Well… it's not," Jasmine admitted after sharing a knowing glance with Lily.

"What do you mean?" Out of a true mother's instinct, Holly folded her hands over her still-flat belly.

"Do you remember Lionel Williams?" Jasmine asked.

"I remember hearing _of_ him, but I never formally met him," said Holly. "Wasn't he the man that saved you from Reeve?"

"The very same," said Jasmine. She then looked to Lily to continue.

"Not even a week ago, he was brought under my husband's custody for charges of piracy," said Lily. "And I went to visit him two nights ago."

"And…?" Holly coaxed, not yet able to form an opinion.

"He is surely due for the gallows if we do not act soon," said Lily.

"So you're suggesting that…?" Holly's eyes had widened.

"We are going to set him free," Lily declared boldly.

Holly had to take a moment to breathe. "Oh, dear Lord," she said finally. "I surely wasn't expecting that."

"We know it's going to be dangerous," said Jasmine. "Believe me; the two of us have thought everything over."

"Are you asking for my help?" asked Holly.

"We are asking for your support as our sister," said Lily. "We want to know that we can trust you with these details."

"It just sounds so risky," said Holly, not making eye contact with either of her sisters. "And I'm pregnant. I can't be running around risking my life when we've just barely gotten home in one piece."

Lily and Jasmine exchanged a knowing look. Both were well aware that they were mothers and could be risking not only their lives but the lives and welfare of their husbands and children. Holly did have a point. "And… there's one other thing we must ask of you," Jasmine warned.

"Yes?" said Holly.

"You don't have to be directly involved, but you must not inform James of our motives," said Lily.

"And why not?" Holly had gone iron-hard defensive in a matter of seconds. "In case you haven't forgotten, that absolutely wonderful man is my husband."

"We know," Lily said gently, "but, at the end of the day, he is still an officer of His Majesty's Royal Navy, and he is honor- and duty-bound to inform his superiors, who will then arrest us, throw us into prison, and quite possibly send _us_ to the gallows!"

"Are you going to help us or not?" Jasmine challenged.

Holly took one single deep breath. "No," she breathed in one short syllable.

"Fine," Lily said, standing up with Jasmine not far behind her. "We will go through with this on our own."

"You may or may not see us again, seeing as how you're _probably_ going to inform James," said Jasmine.

"Lily, Jasmine, wait," Holly begged.

Lily gave her sister her hardest of glares. "It has been a pleasure to see you today, Mrs. Norrington."

* * *

"I can't believe Holly isn't helping us," Jasmine said bitterly. She and Lily were back at Jasmine's farmhouse, having a late cup of tea before going to bed.

"We'll just have to make do without her," said Lily. She was also holding Victoria nervously in her lap.

"The three of us have always done everything together," said Jasmine. "I can't believe she would just abandon us like that! Does she care at all?"

"I'm sure that, deep down, she still cares for us. She's probably just confused after very nearly losing her baby," said Lily. "She has a child to live for now."

"You and I both know that we managed the high seas just fine while we were pregnant," Jasmine snapped.

"I really don't want to fight over this," said Lily. "We just have to stick together no matter what."

"I guess you're right," Jasmine sighed, bringing a sleep Mary Rose closer to her chest.

"So, we're going to get Lionel out tomorrow night," said Lily.

"Absolutely," said Jasmine, her face brightening into a smile. "But we have to do it as quickly and as perfectly as possible before Holly tells James about it."

"Lionel really is aching to see you," said Lily. "When I went to talk to him, probably the first question he asked was how you have been doing since the two of you parted ways way back in Tortuga. He's been so worried that all his efforts had been in vain."

"I can't thank that man enough for what he did for me," said Jasmine. "I want him to be able to taste the beautiful sweet taste of freedom again. It's the least we can do."

"It's because of him that we got our baby sister back," Lily said, reaching out and giving Jasmine's hand a joyful squeeze. "That's _all_ because of him."

* * *

Holly was uneasy the entire afternoon after Lily and Jasmine left. She was guilty about betraying their trust, she was unsure about whether or not to tell her husband, and she had to balance her wave of emotions around her first trimester morning sickness. Ultimately, she felt hurt, confused, lonely, and nauseous. Ideally, she wanted to keep the worst topics away from her husband's ears, but he was so good at reading her emotions that it wouldn't be long before he caught the scent.

"And how is my lovely lady doing this evening?" Norrington announced himself when he arrived in the sitting room after work. He bent over the back of the couch she had been sitting in and gave her rosy cheek a small kiss.

"She is doing just fine," Holly said joyfully, standing up and giving her husband a hug.

"How's the baby?" asked Norrington. He placed an excited hand over her womb.

"The baby is going to be just fine, as you very well know," said Holly. The couple had been to see the doctor just a few days before, and he confirmed that the baby was most likely going to be perfectly healthy and that Holly had just had a random episode of bleeding.

"I'm just so happy that everything is working out so well," said James. He guided Holly back down onto the couch and took a seat next to her.

"I have to admit that I was quite jealous of Lily and Jasmine with their pregnancies," Holly said, blushing just a little. "Victoria and Mary Rose are probably the most beautiful little girls in all the known world. I couldn't have been happier when they were brought into the world, and it immediately made me want to start a family of my own."

"You are going to be a _wonderful_ mother, my dear," said Norrington, before pausing to kiss his wife on the forehead. Then, Holly's uneasy thoughts were brought out onto the stage. "Now, I can see in those pretty eyes of yours that something is bothering you."

"You're right," Holly said with a sharp sigh. "Something has been bothering me for most of the day now."

"Would you care to share it with me?" Norrington asked. Holly was faced with a difficult decision: either she told her husband, who would then tell his superiors, and possibly risk losing both of her precious sisters to the gallows, or she kept everything to herself and let herself suffer with a vicious secret for the rest of her life.

"Lily and Jasmine came to visit today," said Holly.

"Why would that upset you?" Norrington looked puzzled.

Holly took a deep breath and continued. "It's just that every time I see them, I get jealous." Her statement was not entirely true, but she knew it would be a good cover until she found a way to tell her husband the truth. "Every time I see them, I think about how happy they are with their little girls, and it makes me jealous because I have so much more time left before I have my own baby to dote over."

"My dear, is that all that's bothering you?" Norrington's lips broadened into a smile.

"I know, it's silly," said Holly. "It's probably just my pregnancy starting to take effect."

"Sweetheart, we are going to have such a wonderful child that he or she will be well worth the wait," Norrington said, pulling Holly into a tight, joyful hug. "Just wait and see."

* * *

**Author's Note**: So… is our beloved Holly going to tell our beloved Norrington about her sisters' motives… or will she do the right thing and let an innocent man be set free? Well, we'll just have to wait and see!


	38. The Biggest Choice She Ever Made

_**Triplets in Love**_

By: Raven in Red

The Gardener triplets are divided once more as they each pursue a different path in their lives. But as their relationships go through difficult times, they come to discover that their bonds of sisterhood are stronger than any other facet of their lives. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R

_**Part Three**__: Sisters Forever_

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**: The Biggest Choice She Ever Made

After a long day of planning and prep, the time had come. Lily, Jasmine, Jack, and five of the best members of Jack's pirate crew were suited up and ready to break Lionel free.

"Now, let's go over our individual tasks one last time," said Lily. She, Jasmine, and Jack were still in the sitting room of the farmhouse while the crew was waiting outside in the carts that would carry them to the prison. "Jasmine?"

"I stay here with the girls and make sure everything is ready for Lionel's arrival," said Jasmine.

"Jack?" Lily turned to her pirate brother-in-law.

"I get the keys and take out anyone that gets in my way," said Jack.

"Perfect," said Lily. "And I'll go straight to Lionel's cell and keep him calm until everything's ready."

"Alright," said Jasmine. "I wish you both the best of luck." She hugged Lily and hugged and kissed Jack before gently pushing them out the door.

"Don't worry, Lily," Jack said as the two of them climbed into one of the carts. "This is all going to work out."

* * *

The ride to the prison felt like the road to hell, paved with anticipation and uncertainty. Lily's knees were shaking before she even climbed out of the carriage.

"Ready?" Jack asked once he had assembled his crew. He turned to Lily.

"Yes," Lily said firmly. "Yes, I am."

"Good luck, my dear sister," Jack said, leaning down and pecking Lily's cheek just before taking off with his crew. Once she was finally alone, Lily took a deep breath and took long, bold strides toward the prison door. She pinned her arms firmly to her sides until she felt the stiffness of the daggers she had tucked in the inner pockets of her vest. She and Jack had stayed up late into the previous night reviewing hand-to-hand combat techniques. With enough luck, Lily would be as stealthy and quick as a mountain lion.

"Lady Beckett!" the guard greeted her when she approached the door. Luckily, it was the same guard that had escorted her the first time. "Come to interrogate Williams again?"

"Absolutely," said Lily, following the guard close at his heels as he led her into the prison. "He gave me nothing satisfactory the last time I conversed with him, but I am nearly positive that he is hiding something, so I would like to make one last attempt before his trial and execution tomorrow."

"Your husband certainly acknowledges how diplomatic you are, Lady Beckett," said the guard.

"That is quite a bold statement, and it is certainly not appropriate for the situation at hand," Lily snapped, letting the guard know she meant nothing but business.

"I… I apologize, Lady Beckett!" the guard stammered. "I meant no disrespect!" Finally, the duo arrived at Lionel's cell.

"Thank you, sir," Lily said to the guard with a polite bow of her head. "You have been most helpful tonight." Then, in one sudden smooth motion, she reached into her pockets, retrieved the daggers, and painted a bloody red X deep across the guard's throat. It was only a short matter of time before he was dead at Lily's feet.

"Lily!" Lionel gasped in surprise. The sound had probably woken him up.

"Yes, Lionel, I'm here," said Lily, kneeling in front of the cell. It was then that she got a look at his face. "Oh, my God, are those tears in your eyes?"

"I thought you weren't going to come for me," Lionel whispered, his voice still a little choked up. "I thought it was a lost cause. My trial is scheduled for tomorrow, and they most certainly would have found me guilty and I would have been hanged as a pirate." Another tear escaped from his eyes and trickled down his face.

"Don't cry," Lily cooed, taking a handkerchief from her vest and gently drying his tears. "Everything is going to be just fine. We're going to get you out of here."

When his sobs had calmed to deep breaths, Lionel clasped Lily's hand and brought it tenderly to his lips. "Thank you so much, Lily. I owe you my very life."

The two waited in silence for a little while. As Lily held Lionel's hand, she began to think. She and Lionel were both right about her relationship with her husband. Beckett may be her husband and the father of her daughter, but in the end he would always be ruthless, cruel, and, as much as it pained Lily to think it, evil.

"Ready?" Lily was interrupted from her pensive trance by Jack's voice.

"Absolutely!" Lily stood up immediately. She quickly snatched the keys from Jack and unlocked Lionel's cell. "Mr. Williams," she said, extending her hand. "You are free to go." Lionel took Lily's hand and pulled himself to his feet.

"Great," said Jack. "Now, let's go!"

"You go on ahead and make sure the coast is clear," said Lily. "There could still be more guards that we haven't accounted for. You go ahead and scope things out and come find us along the east wall when the coast is clear."

"Good plan," said Jack. With that, he and his crew took off down the main corridor.

"Lily," Lionel began. Lily had a quick decision to make. Before Lionel had another chance to speak, she took his face in her hands and swiftly brought her lips to his.

"Let's go!" Lily whispered once they had pulled apart. Without another words, the two joined hands and took off down the corridor.

* * *

"Lily, might I ask a question?" Lionel asked. He and Lily were hiding in the shadows along the east side of the prison, waiting for Jack to catch up with them when the coast was clear.

"What would you like to ask, Lionel?" Lily decided to play along.

"Why did you kiss me?" he asked, pausing to pass her a quick smile.

"Do you want me to kiss you again?" Lily asked with a mischievous smile.

"Well, of course I do, but I would just like to know what made you do it in the first place," said Lionel.

"It's hard to talk about," said Lily, her expression suddenly turning south.

"I'm listening," Lionel said kindly, reaching over and giving her hand a quick squeeze.

"I… can't stand being my husband's wife any longer," Lily admitted. "He does terrible things to innocent people and the only thing that really keeps us together is the fact that we have a daughter together. I've just always been too afraid to say no to him."

"You're very brave to admit that, Lily," said Lionel. "But what are you going to do about your daughter if you leave him?"

"_When_ I leave my husband, I will be taking Victoria with me," said Lily. "I love Cutler and I know that it's going to hurt him and I know it's purely selfish on my part, but it feels like what I just have to do."

"You're a very honorable woman, Lily," said Lionel. "Any man is lucky to have you, but that man must also respect you." He leaned in for another kiss, but they were interrupted as soon as their lips touched.

"Lily?"

Lily sighed and placed her hands angrily on her hips. "What do you want, Holly?" she demanded once the familiar head of red hair became visible under the moonlight.

"I knew you would go through with it," Holly sighed.

"You told James, didn't you?" Lily's voice was eerily calm.

"Yes, I did," Holly sighed again. "He's on his way right now to put a stop to your plan."

"And you're here to warn me and try to make amends," said Lily.

"Yes!" said Holly. "Now, why are you being so defensive? From a mother to a mother and a sister to a sister, we're supposed to support each other!"

"But you already betrayed me," said Lily, "_and_ Jasmine. You can't just fix things with one little apology. Actually, I don't actually recall an apology."

"Fine, don't listen to me," said Holly. "Have a lovely time getting arrested and _hanged_. And I'm sure your husband would be interested to know that you're kissing another man!"

Lily could actually feel her heart sinking as Holly stormed away. She squeezed Lionel's hand as hard as she could. She knew deep down that Holly was most definitely going to tell her husband about her kiss with Lionel, especially after everything she had already done. "Lionel…" she whispered.

"Yes, Lily?" Lionel leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

"Run!" Lily whispered sharply.

* * *

"Lionel!"

The first sound the group heard when they returned to the farmhouse was Jasmine's excited shriek. Lionel's hand was then wrenched from Lily's as he embraced the woman he had selflessly rescued.

"Lionel, how have you been?" Jasmine had the biggest smile on her face and tears cascading from her eyes. "I haven't seen you in ages and I've been so worried!"

"I'm alive, well, and broken out of prison, all thanks to your brave sister!" Lionel declared. It was then that Jasmine noticed him and Lily holding hands.

"What's going on here?" she asked with a wink.

Lionel and Lily couldn't hide their smiles. "Alright," said Lily, "Jasmine, I want you and Lionel in the sitting room. Everyone else, out." Once the room was clear, she and Lionel and Jasmine took their seats.

"You sister here has come to a decision," Lionel announced. He and Lily had spent some time rehearsing how they would reveal their new relationship.

"Let me guess," said Jasmine. "You're finally leaving Cutler after Holly and I have been dropping hints for _months_."

"Uh…" Lily was caught off guard. Her grip on Lionel's hand tightened even more. "Yes."

"You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that," said Jasmine, letting out a long sigh of relief. "That man is poison, and I still haven't forgiven him for what he did to me."

"Truth be told, neither have I," said Lily, looking down into her lap.

Lionel spoke up. "When she first came to visit me in prison, she was terrified of the possibility. She didn't want to admit her desire to leave him, but she told me. She is taking charge once more and making decisions for herself."

"All our lives, we've been pushing Lily to be her own person," said Jasmine. "We never wanted her to be tied down the way she always seemed to be."

"I should have never let Father arrange our marriage," Lily admitted.

"Sweetie, I'm sure he never could have seen this coming," Jasmine said reassuringly. "Cutler was still a decent man when you and Father first met him, and Father was gone before any of this happened."

"After Father's death, I relied on Cutler too much," said Lily. "It was like my way of filling the gap that his death ripped in my heart." Everything fell silent. "Now I'm terrified of how I'm going to avoid Cutler. He nearly owns the world at this point, and it scares me. He'll come after me as soon as someone drops my name."

"We're going to get you away from here," Jasmine declared bluntly. "You and Lionel are going to pack up tonight and take off with Jack… tomorrow. I'll stay here and take care of Victoria for you. As far as Cutler is concerned, you are the only one involved in releasing Lionel, so I should be perfectly safe to take care of my niece for you." When she saw the look of terror on her sister's face, she softened her tone a little. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but this is the only way to keep you safe."

Lily could no longer hide her tears. She went from a slightly quivering lip to all-out open sobbing, and she stood from her seat and stormed out of the room. Lionel was close at her heels.

"Lily?" He managed to chase her down and secure his arms around her, pulling her to his chest so she could cry in peace. "Lily, it's alright. You know I'm not going to let you be put in danger. I'm going to protect you with all I have left in this world."

"Do you promise?" Lily struggled to say.

"Absolutely." Lionel looked her straight in the eye to speak that one word. "I will not abandon you… not now and not _ever_."

"But you could get killed because of me, and I don't want that," Lily pointed out just before surrendering to her sobs again.

"Shh, come here," Lionel cooed, bringing Lily to his chest once more, allowing the steady beating of his heart to calm her. "If I must die, then I would rather die protecting a beautiful woman that I might very well love."

"Love?" Lily's face now bore a look of shock when she gazed back up into his eyes.

"I had a lot of time to think about you between the time you first visited me and tonight," said Lionel. "Now, I know this must be very overwhelming for you, but I must tell you how I feel… I feel that, if a woman is willing to risk everything, even her very life, to rescue me from my own certain death, then that woman must remain in my life and will be the woman I fall in love with."

"I… Lionel, I… don't… know what to say," Lily stuttered, her tears finally drying.

"Then don't say anything." Swiftly, he pulled her in for a kiss.

* * *

**Author's Note**: So, how do we like Lily and Lionel? I must admit that, even though he's attractive, I've always despised Beckett's character so I knew I had to do away with his involvement in Lily's life.


End file.
